childbirth

noun

ˈchī(-ə)l(d)-ˌbərth How to pronounce childbirth (audio)
Definition of childbirthnext
as in pregnancy
the act or process of giving birth to children women who choose to undergo childbirth without the use of anesthetics and other drugs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of childbirth After all these years, Vachon still describes her job as akin to childbirth. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026 Pelvic floor disorders happen when those muscles or tissues weaken or get injured, often through childbirth, obesity, age or genetics, the FDA says. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026 The trial generated intense interest for weeks, drawing attention to maternal mental health after childbirth. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 There are also certain risk periods, like pregnancy, where women are more prone to anemia, and childbirth, where emergencies may necessitate a blood transfusion, Lawrence said. — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for childbirth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for childbirth
  1. pregnancy
  2. childbearing
  3. delivery
  4. labor
  5. pains
  6. parturition
  7. contraction
Noun
  • Beyond baby, this walking pad has been a lifesaver throughout my pregnancy so far, and the same goes for these face masks from Biodance.
    — Irina Grechko, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Twenty years after an affair and unconfirmed pregnancy, Michael discovers Renee’s son is dating his daughter.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pregnancy
Noun
  • But Steinem lived to see the rise of a powerful backlash against her vision of feminism, with reproductive rights, motherhood, childbearing and gender roles once again at the center of the country's culture wars.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Not least because the hips—or rather, a wide pelvis—are considered a symbol of femininity, fertility, and childbearing capacity, both from a cultural-historical and an evolutionary-biology perspective.
    — Kelly Niesen, Glamour, 24 July 2026
Definition of childbearing
Noun
  • Additionally, Devitt argues that even if an AI agent helps a shopper discover a product, Amazon can still handle the purchase and delivery, keeping much of the transaction value.
    — , CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Clancy, a labor and delivery nurse, gives birth to her third child.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of delivery
Noun
  • Rising costs, shrinking market Rising costs and labor shortages have become major challenges for Japanese companies in the post-pandemic business environment, said Harumi Taguchi, principal economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Throughout the world, rapidly aging countries have resorted to foreign labor to fill jobs left vacant by shrinking workforces and to care for surging elderly populations.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • In the past, Fox News has taken pains to illustrate to its viewers how the election could tilt blue.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Symptoms usually begin within two weeks and can last nearly three weeks, including aches and pains, nausea and rashes.
    — Angie DiMichele, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pains
Noun
  • This pattern spans over a decade, indicating a remarkable fidelity to the Ashburton River and its surrounding creeks as critical parturition sites.
    — Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
  • His mother paced the spacious birthing stall, working off the pains of parturition, with half the placenta, neatly tied up by an attending stable hand, still hanging out of her.
    — William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 15 May 2021
Definition of parturition
Noun
  • Monthly payroll contraction in industries with a higher share of women workers like government also diluted overall gains for women in the month, Stahle said.
    — Alex Harring,Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That plunge in work amid the larger Hollywood contraction has challenged industry unions as well.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of contraction

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childbeds
childbirth
childbirths
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Cite this Entry

“Childbirth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/childbirth. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on childbirth

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about childbirth

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