Slow day at the office I have a question

[ozarkmom]

A guy at work was reading the obituaries. A young man died it listed his wife daughter etc. and a son it gave his name and had (in vitro). We were wondering what that meant? I know what in vitro fertilization is but what does this mean in an obituary?

 

[ElizK]

sounds to me like the son has not yet been born.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

sounds to me like the son has not yet been born.

Agreed. How sad.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think it means that the person who wrote the obit goofed. I'm 99% sure that what was intended was "(in utero)". I find that people confuse those two Latin terms ALL the time. "In vitro" means "in glass", but I'm always hearing people say it when they are referring to a fetus, as opposed to an embryo.

 

[FireDancer]

I would interpret this as they had a still-born son. I may be way off but that is what I would think.

 

[hellokitty86]

I think it means that the person who wrote the obit goofed. I'm 99% sure that what was intended was "(in utero)". I find that people confuse those two Latin terms ALL the time. "In vitro" means "in glass", but I'm always hearing people say it when they are referring to a fetus, as opposed to an embryo.

I agree- I think they meant to say "in utero". How sad.

 

[jaycat]

In vitro is a procedure that happens outside of a living organism - usually in a petri dish like growing a cell culture. In vitro fertilization is fertilization that occurs outside of the body. Its a word slip, the author most likely wanted to say in utero and thought they were the same.

 

[ozarkmom]

I bet it should have said in utero. I thought the in vitro was odd.

 

[TnTsParty]

I am not sure what they meant but most likely meant in utero - my brother in law's obituary said soon to be daughter Summer - as he passed away 4 weeks before she was born. How sad for this family - I know first hand how hard something like this is. My heart breaks everytime I hear of someone dying young especially if they have a child on the way.