þungunar

Þungunar is an Icelandic term associated with the state of pregnancy or gestation. In modern Icelandic, the common word for this state is meðganga. Þungunar appears mainly in historical texts, literary language, or formal discussions of reproductive terminology, and may occur in compound forms within older or more formal prose.

Medical usage defines pregnancy as the period from conception to birth, commonly lasting about 38 to 42 weeks in humans. It is traditionally divided into three trimesters, each with distinct fetal development and maternal changes. Regular prenatal care aims to monitor health, fetal growth, and development during the course of the pregnancy.

Prenatal care typically includes periodic medical visits, ultrasound examinations, screening tests, and nutritional guidance, including folic acid supplementation to reduce neural tube defects. Potential complications linked to pregnancy include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth, all of which may require medical management.

Socially, Iceland provides comprehensive prenatal health services within its universal-health-care system, along with parental leave policies and support for families. The term þungunar, while valid, is less common in everyday speech than meðganga, reflecting a broader evolution of reproductive vocabulary in Icelandic.