gebärfähigen

Gebärfähig is a German adjective describing the biological capacity to bear offspring. In humans it refers to the ability to become pregnant and carry a pregnancy to term. The term is used mainly in medical, demographic and public-health contexts and is often paired with the noun Gebärfähigkeit (the capability to bear children) or with phrases such as das gebärfähige Alter (the reproductive age).

Declension: gebärfähigen is an inflected form used after definite articles or in plural phrases, as in die gebärfähigen Frauen or in den gebärfähigen Jahren. Without an article, the form is gebärfähige, e.g., gebärfähige Frauen wurden untersucht.

Usage and nuance: Although historically associated with women, gebärfähig refers to a biological capacity that depends on anatomy and health. In inclusive language it can apply to individuals who can become pregnant, regardless of gender identity, though usage varies by context. Being gebärfähig is not the same as being pregnant. It is also distinct from infertility (Unfruchtbarkeit) and from the broader concept of fertility (Fruchtbarkeit). In policy and health-care discussions the term may appear in phrases such as das gebärfähige Alter or the access to reproductive health services.

Related terms: Gebärfähigkeit (the capacity to bear children); Fruchtbarkeit (fertility, the broader idea of achieving reproduction).