At what stage of pregnancy does the antepartal period begin?

The antepartal period begins at the time of conception. This phase encompasses all the time during pregnancy leading up to labor and delivery. It starts from the moment the sperm fertilizes the egg, leading to the formation of a zygote, which then develops into an embryo and subsequently into a fetus throughout the pregnancy. Recognizing conception as the starting point is essential for understanding the full scope of prenatal care, maternal health monitoring, and fetal development that occurs during the entire duration of pregnancy. This framing aligns with the standard understanding of pregnancy stages in obstetric care and maternal-fetal medicine.