What does nullipara mean?
Nullipara is a formal obstetrical noun for a woman who has never given birth. It records reproductive history rather than fertility: a nullipara may be fertile, pregnant, or using contraception, and she may deliver her first child in the future. In clinical writing, the related adjective nulliparous is often more convenient when describing a patient, while nullipara labels the person herself. The term forms part of the conventional set of pregnancy and birth-history labels alongside primipara and multipara. It is therefore especially useful when the number of previous deliveries matters, such as when comparing outcomes for first births or assessing delivery risks. Although precise and standard in medicine, nullipara is specialized rather than everyday vocabulary. It should not be used as a synonym for infertile, childless by choice, or a woman who has never been pregnant.
nounIn obstetrics, a nullipara is a woman who has never given birth. The term is the noun counterpart of nulliparous and does not necessarily imply infertility.
- A woman who has never given birth, especially when her prior delivery history is relevant to an obstetric or pregnancy-history classification.
"The obstetrician reviewed the medical history of each nullipara before planning the delivery."
"The clinic followed a group of nulliparas through their first pregnancies."
"Her status as a nullipara shaped the discussion of risks associated with a first delivery."
The regular English plural is nulliparas.
"The clinic followed 30 nulliparas through their first pregnancies."
Never having given birth is not the same as being unable to give birth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nullipara come from?
Nullipara was formed in Latin from nullus, meaning “none” or “no,” and a form related to parere, meaning “to bring forth” or “to bear.” The combining element later became familiar in English obstetric vocabulary through terms such as primipara and multipara. Modern medical usage employs nullipara specifically to classify a woman by the absence of previous deliveries.
Related word forms
How nullipara is actually used
This is specialized, formal terminology used chiefly in obstetrics, midwifery, epidemiology, and medical research. It concerns previous births rather than previous pregnancies or fertility, so it should not be treated as a synonym for infertile.
Easily confused with nullipara
A nullipara has never given birth, whereas a primipara has given birth exactly once.