in utero

[ in yoo-tuh-roh ]

adverb

1. in the uterus; unborn.

in utero

/ ɪn ˈjuːtəˌrəʊ /

adverb

1. within the womb

Word History and Origins

Origin of in utero¹

First recorded in 1705–15, in utero is from Latin in uterō

Example Sentences

Animals previously exposed to THC in utero display a dramatically increased motivation to press a lever that would deliver a dose of opioid drugs compared to those that were not previously exposed to THC.

From Science Daily

Previous studies in smaller populations also link in utero exposure of these drugs with neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, such as ones linking topiramate and intellectual disability, and those associating valproate and lower IQ.

From Science Daily

And brain imaging has shown that school-age children exposed to lithium in utero had no statistically significant differences from those who were not.

From Salon

Intriguingly, injecting the same mutated mouse embryos with human skin cells yielded similar results: as the mice developed in utero, they grew sheets of human skin that mimicked the structure and organization of mature epidermis.

From Science Daily

Optimal bone health starts in utero, but our prepubescent years are key to setting our skeleton up for later life.

From Salon