GESTATION, GRAVIDITY or PREGNANCY are concepts linked with FERTILITY. The masculine facet relates to SPERM, SEMEN, SEED, SEMINAL and SEMINARY. The feminine facet relates to EGG, OVOCYTE as well as with UTERUS, MATRIX, MATERNITY, MOTHER and MOTHERING. Another track relates to ABORTION, MISCARRIAGE, STILLBIRTH and the concept of TERATOTHANASIA given below. This illustrated overview is focused mostly on PREGNANCY. Links to explanatory notes are shown in the left column. Additional views are given in companion illustrated overviews focused on birth, abortion and motherhood.

The fetus and placenta are one organism.

GRAVIDITY points to GURU and GRAVis which in Sanskrit and Latin denote transcendental, significant, weighty, momentous, vital. In this spirit, people conjure GRAVen ideas about GRAVe and GRAVidy. GRAVen ideas are also found among taxpayers as "tax" in Spanish is called GRAVamen and few will dispute that taxes are agGRAVating. In addition, there is little doubt that an IMPREGNAted woman, increasingly feels the impact of GRAVitational forces from growing fetal tissues. In Spanish, GRAVidity is also called emBARazo, as if to point out that pregnant women can be emBARrassed about the social circumstances of their conception or by their growing abdominal dimensions. Furthermore, emBARassed reminds pregnant ladies of BARometic pressure.

A bride embarrassed.

After 40 weeks of GESTation, a human is delivered or BORN, mostly by NATural NATality. In Latin NATio points to NATUS or NEONATE. From NATUS arise notions about NATives and NATions. Each society defines what are the NASCENT NATive rights based on the NATURAL NATURE of NATALITY.

Historians make reference to IMPREGNABLE fortresses. Poets speak of IMPREGNABLE women. In reality, most women are IMPREGNABLE but it is true that a proportion are "not PREGNABLE" or STERILe. In fact, STERility of couples is not due solely to feminine factors; male STERILity is quite common  (Y sex CHROMOSOME defects, are common).

Impregneable	Pregnant

Modern science has shown that after conception, the majority of fertilized eggs or ovocytes fail to develop. The natural process or early elimination of most defective embryos is called TERATOTHANASIA or TERATHANASIA, a term linking TERATO which refers to mal development and THANASIA for death. Without TERATOTHANASIA or TERATHANASIA there would be about twice as many neonates with birth defects.

Teratothanasia is common.

In the US, a recognized pregnancy has about a 20% chance to end in a spontaneous ABORTION (increasingly referred to as a miscarriage). At least 50% of spontaneous abortions are due to fatal embryonic chromosomal defects. Sometimes, the embryo lodges in an ECTOPIC location rather than the MATRIX or uterus. An embryo developing ECTOPICally may induce a serious and potentially fatal maternal hemorrhage.

Grave gravidity can be aggravating.

Another serious complication of pregnancy is ECLAMPSIA, a composite term with EC denoting separation and LAMPEIN for shine. ECLAMPSIA may manifest by convulsions with loss of consciousness and by a shining mouth froth.

One way or another, the above relates to NATURE and what is NATURAL. In many languages, the idea NATURE is used to refer to various spheres of activities including NATURAL history, sciences, evolution, law, and philosophy. For now, I would propose to think of NATURAL as that which is inherent or congenital in "nature". This view equates NATURE with FATE, except for when human intelligence or stupidity interferes.