childbirth

noun

child·​birth ˈchī(-ə)l(d)-ˌbərth How to pronounce childbirth (audio)
: the act or process of giving birth to a baby : parturition

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Despite having more complex reproductive organs and the burdensome, sometimes fatal, functions that come with them — menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding — female bodies tend to outlast male bodies. Starre Vartan, CNN Money, 7 July 2025 Today, with the exception of Wisconsin, Medicaid coverage has extended from 60 days to 12 months after childbirth. Natasha Williams, New York Daily News, 2 July 2025 Pelvic floor therapy is often only associated with women who experience pelvic floor dysfunction after childbirth, but men can also benefit from this treatment. Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 30 June 2025 Women sometimes drank a tea of juneberry twigs and stems to recover from childbirth, and a tonic made from the plant’s bark was thought to hasten the discharge of the placenta. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for childbirth

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of childbirth was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Childbirth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childbirth. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

childbirth

noun
child·​birth ˈchīl(d)-ˌbərth How to pronounce childbirth (audio)
: the act or process of giving birth to children

called also parturition

Medical Definition

childbirth

noun
child·​birth ˈchīl(d)-ˌbərth How to pronounce childbirth (audio)
: the act or process of giving birth to a baby : parturition

More from Merriam-Webster on childbirth

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