MEDICAL JARGON BUSTER

MEDICAL terms decoded. This week: Perinatal THIS relates to the time just before or just after birth, from the 28th week of pregnancy to the end of the week after birth.

The prefix ‘peri’, from Ancient Greek, means ‘about’, ‘around’ or ‘near’. It can also be found in pericardium, the sac around the heart.

Another example is perimenopause, which refers to the time leading up to menopause, when oestrogen levels begin to drop.