64. Pregnancy II

Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.

This episode delivers the origins of words related to pregnancy. IVF is a common term today, but early media reports often used the phrase test tube baby, which predates the 1970s when in-vitro fertilisation first emerged. Discover how the term folic, for the B vitamin, connects to the word for leaves, and why preeclampsia traces back to an ancient Greek word meaning light. We also explore pregnancy signs, including the components of the hormone detected by pregnancy tests, and how ancient Egyptians developed tests using wheat and barley.