1. (

• pregnancy ,
• gestation ,
• maternity

) the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth when a woman carries a developing fetus in her uterus ;

2. (

• motherhood ,
• maternity

) the kinship relation between an offspring and the mother ;

3. (

• motherliness ,
• maternalism ,
• maternal_quality ,
• maternity

) the quality of having or showing the tenderness and warmth and affection of or befitting a mother; "the girl's motherliness made her invaluable in caring for the children" ;