What does parturition mean?
Parturition is the formal noun for the act or process of giving birth. It can describe childbirth generally or, in medical writing, the onset and progression of labor and delivery. The word is used especially in obstetrics, midwifery, veterinary medicine, and academic discussion, where terms such as “spontaneous parturition” distinguish a birth beginning naturally from one initiated medically. In ordinary conversation, speakers usually choose “childbirth,” “birth,” or “delivery.” Parturition has a technical rather than emotional tone, but it is not restricted to emergencies: it can refer to a normal birth as well as a difficult or premature one. The term is useful in medical contexts because it names the process as a whole, rather than focusing only on the moment when the baby is born. Its Latin-derived form also makes it especially familiar in formal writing about pregnancy, labor, and childbirth.
nounThe act or process of giving birth; childbirth. In medical contexts, it can also refer specifically to the onset or progress of labor and delivery.
- The act or process of giving birth.
- The medical onset and course of labor and delivery.
"The medical team prepared for the patient's parturition and monitored the progress of labor closely."
"Parturition usually begins with the onset of regular contractions."
"The textbook describes the stages of human parturition in detail."
Usually used in the singular; the plural is uncommon.
"The study compared outcomes across several difficult parturitions."
Parturition comes from a Latin intensive meaning “to bring forth,” giving the ordinary experience of birth an unusually emphatic, formal name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does parturition come from?
Parturition comes from Latin partūritio, a noun meaning “the act of giving birth,” formed from partūrīre, “to bring forth” or “give birth.” The Latin verb partūrīre is an intensive form related to parere, “to bring forth, produce, or be equal to.” English borrowed the term through the language of medicine and learned writing, preserving its formal and technical character.
Related word forms
How parturition is actually used
Parturition is formal and especially common in medical, obstetric, and academic contexts. In general usage, “childbirth” or “birth” is more natural. Its second sense is primarily technical.
Easily confused with parturition
Parturition means the process of giving birth, whereas gestation means the period of pregnancy before birth.