Ma'anar ƙamus na "ciwon mahaifa" shine tsarin amfani da dabarun likitanci don gano kwayoyin halitta ko wasu cututtuka a cikin tayin da ke tasowa kafin haihuwa. Wannan na iya haɗawa da gwaje-gwaje iri-iri kamar duban dan tayi, amniocentesis, samfurin chorionic villus, da gwaje-gwajen jini na uwaye don gano matsalolin lafiya ko rashin ci gaba a cikin tayin. Ciwon ciki na iya zama kayan aiki mai mahimmanci don tsammanin iyaye su yanke shawara game da ciki da kuma shirya don kula da ɗansu.