Ennetähtaegne

Ennetähtaegne is an Estonian adjective meaning occurring before the planned due date or earlier than scheduled. It is most commonly used in medical contexts to describe events that occur prior to the expected time, such as a birth, but it can also refer to any process or action that happens earlier than planned.

Form and usage: Ennetähtaegne is a compound built from the prefix enne- meaning before and tähtaeg meaning due date, with the adjectival suffix -ne. It is used attributively before the noun it modifies, for example ennetähtaegne sünnitus or ennetähtaegse sünnituse risk. In declined forms, the ending changes to match the case and number of the noun.

Medical usage: In obstetrics, ennetähtaegne sünnitus refers to birth that occurs before the end of the standard gestation period, typically before 37 completed weeks. Such births are associated with increased risks for the newborn, including respiratory and other health complications, and often require specialized neonatal care. The term is part of standard clinical language and is used in patient information and research to distinguish from full-term births.

Other contexts: While primarily a medical term, ennetähtaegne can describe events or actions that occur earlier than scheduled in non-medical contexts, though this usage is less common. In practice, more everyday language may substitute phrases like “enne tähtaega,” depending on the style and precision required.

See also: tähtaeg, hiline, varajane.