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 the death of Viserys’ wife and Rhaenyra’s mother Aemma during childbirth, Rhaenyra is named heir to the throne during a time where no woman had been named heir before. — Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026 Doulas practice across the country to assist patients before, during, and after childbirth, particularly with their emotional and physical needs. — Anna Halkidis, Parents, 26 June 2026 About 10% of fathers develop symptoms like depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, which lasts from pregnancy through the first year after childbirth. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 27 June 2026 This led to vast transformations in surgery, childbirth, handwashing, sterilization and infection control, per NIH and the Science History Institute. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 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
  • Their big family update came after a difficult year for the parents, who publicly shared that Natalie experienced three pregnancy losses in 2025.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • Common wisdom also held that birthmarks were caused by the mother’s experience during pregnancy.
    — Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of pregnancy
Noun
  • In fact, for millennia the role of mothers has included not only childbearing and education but also protection over the community as a whole, especially through advocacy for peace.
    — Marie-Claire Beaulieu, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
  • Poor women’s childbearing, particularly among Black and immigrant populations, was increasingly portrayed as a driver of intergenerational poverty and social disorder.
    — Sonya Borrero, STAT, 1 May 2026
Definition of childbearing
Noun
  • The robot staff behind the scenes Pudu's FlashBot will run an intelligent vending system, allowing guests to order drink deliveries by smartphone.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Only when Freya Kemp joined her captain in an unbeaten stand of 80 off the last 55 balls, making 44 off 28 deliveries, did England look anything like pulling off an upset.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of delivery
Noun
  • This means nearly every labor unit in the CSU will be out of contract July 1.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • Freshwater showers mean the sweaty smells of young adults doing manual labor never get too intense.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of labor
Noun
  • Having witnessed centuries of religious warfare in Europe, when millions were killed for their beliefs, the framers took pains to make sure nothing like that would happen here.
    — Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Perhaps second only to getting sunburned through your favorite white dress, the greatest casualty of summer fashion is the aches and pains brought on by your cutest but least supportive shoes.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 4 July 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
  • Director-level and above roles continued to show relative strength, growing faster than the broader market, while junior and mid-level hiring recovered only after prior contraction.
    — Michael Wright, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The National Bureau of Economic Research dates the contraction that began in 1929 as ending in March 1933, though the broader Depression lasted for years and the economy suffered another severe recession in 1937-38 before World War II.
    — Dan Mangan,Luke Fountain,Kevin Breuninger,Garrett Downs,Ashley Capoot,Justin Papp, CNBC, 2 July 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 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on childbirth

Nglish: Translation of childbirth for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about childbirth

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