What is the act of giving birth called?

The act of giving birth is known as parturition. This term specifically refers to the process of delivering a baby, which occurs after pregnancy. It encompasses the physiological and biological changes that happen during delivery, leading to the end of gestation.

In contrast, gestation refers to the period of development during pregnancy, where the fetus grows and matures before birth. Conception is the initial stage where fertilization occurs, marking the beginning of pregnancy. Labor, while closely related to parturition, denotes the process of childbirth itself – the contractions and efforts involved in expelling the baby from the uterus – but does not encompass the entire act like parturition does. Therefore, parturition is the most accurate term for the overall event of giving birth.