childbirth

noun

child·​birth ˈchī(-ə)l(d)-ˌbərth 

: the act or process of giving birth to a baby : parturition

Synonyms

• accouchement
• childbearing
• delivery
• labor
• parturition
• travail

Examples of childbirth in a Sentence

women who choose to undergo childbirth without the use of anesthetics and other drugs

Recent Examples on the Web

Hospitals gave patients meds during childbirth, then reported them Amairani Salinas was 32 weeks pregnant with her fourth child in 2023 when doctors at a Texas hospital discovered that her baby no longer had a heartbeat. —Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024

And yet pregnancy and childbirth can pose health hazards that virtually no method of birth control does. —Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 3 Dec. 2024

Parents with private health coverage face on average more than $3,000 in medical bills related to a pregnancy and childbirth that aren’t covered by insurance. —Kff Health News, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024

Afterward, Ashley brings up her fears about childbirth. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing childbirth

• die in childbirth
• natural childbirth

Kids Definition

childbirth

noun

child·​birth ˈchīl(d)-ˌbərth 

: the act or process of giving birth to children

called also parturition

Medical Definition

childbirth

noun

child·​birth ˈchīl(d)-ˌbərth 

: the act or process of giving birth to a baby : parturition