bring to term

USAGE SUMMARY

"bring to term" is a commonly used phrase in written English.
It is often used in the context of pregnancy and childbirth. Example: The doctor assured the worried couple that they would be able to bring their baby to term despite some complications during the pregnancy.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

On cases of fatal foetal abnormalities, he said: "Similarly, it forces couples to bring to term a child that has no chance of survival for long outside the womb if at all.

The Guardian

When McCorvey brought the action, under the pseudonym Jane Roe, in 1970, she was simply looking for the right to end a pregnancy she did not wish to bring to term.

The Guardian

My body carried five babies I never had the privilege to bring to term.

Huffington Post

Loeb reportedly moved to Louisiana last month after filing a lawsuit there against Vergara over their two frozen embryos that he wants to bring to term without her consent, the New York Post reported.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The mammoth could then be brought to term in an elephant mother.

The New Yorker

The objection seems to be that not all embryos created by IVF are then implanted and brought to term.

The Economist

Moreover, a young woman's unwanted pregnancy brought to term makes this wan entertainment yet another youth-oriented sop to the anti-abortion doctrinaires.

The New Yorker

Dr Mitalipov has little doubt that his zygotes could be brought to term if they were transplanted into a woman's womb.

The Economist

The embryo thus created could in principle be brought to term if inserted in a uterus, a procedure that would lead to cloning the person.

The New York Times

The chimp's genome would be progressively modified until close enough to that of Neanderthals, and the embryo brought to term in a chimpanzee.

The New York Times - Science

Previous rulings, she said, had seemed to lean toward the "vetoer," the partner who did not want the embryos brought to term.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bring to term" in contexts where you want to emphasize the continuation of a pregnancy to its natural conclusion, especially when discussing potential challenges or interventions.

Common error

Avoid using "bring to term" interchangeably with phrases like "conceive" or "become pregnant". "Bring to term" specifically refers to the duration of a pregnancy until birth, not the initial conception.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bring to term" functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of carrying a pregnancy to its full duration, resulting in childbirth. Ludwig's examples show it's often used in contexts involving potential complications or interventions during pregnancy.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "bring to term" is a verb phrase signifying the completion of a pregnancy, resulting in childbirth. Although Ludwig reports its usage as grammatically correct, it is relatively rare. The contexts in which it appears most frequently are news, media, and science, where it serves the purpose of describing the successful continuation of a pregnancy, especially when viability or risks are involved. While both "carry to term" and "bring to term" are acceptable, "carry to term" is more common in general conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Carry to full term

Emphasizes the act of carrying the pregnancy to its completion.

Complete the pregnancy

Focuses on the completion of the gestational period.

Sustain the pregnancy to delivery

Highlights the sustaining aspect of the pregnancy until childbirth.

Give birth to a live infant

Shifts the focus to the outcome of the pregnancy, a live birth.

Carry a pregnancy to viability

Highlights carrying the fetus until it could survive outside the womb.

Continue the gestation period

Focuses on continuing the gestation process to its natural end.

Maintain the pregnancy until birth

Underscores the act of maintaining the pregnancy until childbirth.

Deliver a healthy baby

Emphasizes the health outcome of the delivery.

Gestate until delivery

Highlights the full period of gestation.

See the pregnancy through

Implies persevering through the entire pregnancy.

FAQs

What does "bring to term" mean in medical contexts?

In medical contexts, "bring to term" refers to carrying a pregnancy to its full duration, typically around 40 weeks, resulting in childbirth. It's often used when discussing factors that might affect the pregnancy's progression.

Is it better to say "carry to term" or "bring to term"?

Both "carry to term" and "bring to term" are acceptable and widely understood. The choice often depends on personal preference, although "carry to term" might be slightly more common in everyday language.

What are some situations where a pregnancy might not be brought to term?

Situations include miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, or a decision to terminate the pregnancy for medical or personal reasons. Premature labor can also prevent a pregnancy from being brought to full term.

How is "bring to term" different from "become pregnant"?

"Become pregnant" refers to the initial conception, while "bring to term" refers to the entire process of carrying the pregnancy until childbirth. The former is about starting a pregnancy, and the latter is about completing it.