German Pregnancy & Birth Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary you'd actually hear from a Hebamme or read on a Mutterpass: the stages from Schwangerschaft through Wehen to the Kreißsaal. One thing to watch: die Beschneidung covers both "circumcision" and mundane "trimming" of hedges or nails, so context alone tells you which meaning is meant, unlike English where these are unrelated words.
Learn these 20 words
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plural: die Hebammen
midwife
Die Hebamme half bei der Geburt. — The midwife helped during the birth.
breast milk
Muttermilch ist gut für das Baby. — Breast milk is good for the baby.
plural: die Neugeborenen
newborn
Das Neugeborene schläft die meiste Zeit. — The newborn sleeps most of the time.
pregnant
Lena ist schwanger. Sie bekommt im Juli ein Kind. — Lena is pregnant. She's having a baby in July.
- stillenA2
to breastfeed
Sie stillt ihr Baby jeden Morgen. — She breastfeeds her baby every morning.
to give birth
Sie wird nächste Woche entbinden. — She will give birth next week.
plural: die Kaiserschnitte
caesarean section
Der Arzt empfahl einen Kaiserschnitt. — The doctor recommended a caesarean section.
plural: die Kreißsäle
delivery room
Sie brachten sie schnell in den Kreißsaal. — They quickly took her to the delivery room.
plural: die Mutterpässe
maternity record
Vergiss deinen Mutterpass nicht mitzunehmen. — Don't forget to bring your maternity record.
plural: die Nabelschnüre
umbilical cord
Der Arzt durchtrennte die Nabelschnur vorsichtig. — The doctor carefully cut the umbilical cord.
plural: die Plazenten
placenta
Die Plazenta versorgt das Baby mit Nährstoffen. — The placenta supplies the baby with nutrients.
plural: die Säuglinge
infant
Der Säugling wiegt drei Kilo. — The infant weighs three kilos.
plural: die Schwangerschaften
pregnancy
Sie dürfen während der Schwangerschaft nicht rauchen. — You must not smoke during pregnancy.
plural: die Wehen
contractions
Die Wehen setzten mitten in der Nacht ein. — The contractions started in the middle of the night.
plural: die Abtreibungen
abortion
Die Abtreibung ist ein sensibles Thema. — Abortion is a sensitive topic.
plural: die Föten
fetus
Der Fötus entwickelt sich in der Gebärmutter. — The fetus develops in the womb.
plural: die Beschneidungen
clipping / circumcision / trimming
Die Beschneidung ist in vielen Kulturen üblich. — Circumcision is common in many cultures.
amniotic fluid
Das Fruchtwasser schützt das ungeborene Kind. — Amniotic fluid protects the unborn child.
plural: die Schwangerschaftsabbrüche
termination of pregnancy / abortion
Der Schwangerschaftsabbruch ist ein sensibles Thema. — Termination of pregnancy is a sensitive topic.
- werdendC1
nascent / emergent / expectant
Die werdende Mutter kaufte Babykleidung. — The expectant mother bought baby clothes.
How to learn this set
Several words here share a body-focused compound logic: die Nabelschnur (navel + cord), das Fruchtwasser (fruit/womb + water), and der Kreißsaal (labor + hall) all build meaning from parts you can take apart and remember separately. Note also that der Kaiserschnitt literally means "emperor's cut," a useful hook for memory. For the adjective werdend, drill it in its natural habitat: die werdende Mutter, since it rarely appears standalone. Group die Hebamme, die Plazenta, and die Nabelschnur together as the physical trio a midwife deals with at delivery, rather than learning all 16 nouns as one flat list.
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Frequently asked questions
Is der Mutterpass the same as the maternity notes in English?
Yes, roughly. Der Mutterpass is a small booklet every pregnant woman in Germany receives that records checkups, blood type, ultrasound results, and due date. Doctors and midwives expect you to bring it to every appointment and to the Kreißsaal when labor starts.
What is the difference between die Abtreibung and der Schwangerschaftsabbruch?
They describe the same medical event, but der Schwangerschaftsabbruch is the neutral clinical term used in law and by doctors, while die Abtreibung is the everyday word and can sound more blunt or judgmental depending on context. If you're reading a legal or medical text, expect Schwangerschaftsabbruch.
Why is das Neugeborene neuter if it's about a baby?
Das Neugeborene is a noun made from an adjective (neugeboren, "newly born") and follows neuter grammar regardless of the baby's sex, similar to how das Kind is neuter. Der Säugling, the word for infant a bit further along, is grammatically masculine no matter the baby's sex either.
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