We have self-driving cars and AI that can write your wedding vows. So why are we still using terms like “incompetent cervix” to describe pregnancy over 35?
In this, the golden era of AI, surely the medical community, journalists, and society-at-large can make a small effort to rebrand outdated, offensive terms commonly used throughout pregnancy.
Here are a few labels that desperately need to go:
- “Geriatric pregnancy” – Geriatric? At 37? I’m not getting a senior discount—I’m having a baby.
- “Hostile uterus” – Like, wtf? It’s not a war zone, it’s a womb.
- “Failure to progress” – I’m dilating, not defending a dissertation.
- “Incompetent cervix” – Recently rebranded as “insufficient cervix.” Ah yes, so much gentler. Said no one ever.
- “Elderly primigravida” – Curious about this historical gem? We did a deep dive → explore the history of this cringey term.
- “Primary ovarian insufficiency” or “lazy ovary” – Not lazy. Just unbothered.
- “Habitual aborter” – Maybe don’t label someone’s grief like it’s a bad habit. Want to know what to say instead? → We covered what to say (and what not to say) to someone who has had a miscarriage.
- “Advanced maternal age” – We’re excelling. We’re advanced maternal, thank you very much.
Suggested Rebranding Guidelines:
- Drop the Deficit Language.
If we’re unicorns of fertility, maybe lead with wonder—not warnings. - Want Us to Stress Less?
Don’t call our uteruses “hostile” and our cervixes “incompetent.” Just a thought. - Not Everything Needs a Label.
Sometimes a pregnancy is just… pregnancy.
Got a favorite outdated term that makes your blood boil?
Drop it in the comments. Let’s make a list and burn it in a ceremonial sage cleanse—or at least tweet it into oblivion.
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