obstetric

American  

[uhb-ste-trik] / əbˈstɛ trɪk /

Also obstetrical

adjective

1. of or relating to the care and treatment of women in childbirth and during the period before and after delivery.

2. of or relating to childbirth or obstetrics. OB, ob

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obstetric British  

/ ɒbˈstɛtrɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to childbirth or obstetrics

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Other Word Forms

• nonobstetric adjective
• nonobstetrical adjective
• nonobstetrically adverb
• obstetrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of obstetric

First recorded in 1735–45; from New Latin obstetrīcus “pertaining to a midwife,” alteration of Latin obstetrīcius, derivative of obstetrīx, equivalent to ob- ob- + ste- (combining form of stāre to stand ) + -trīx -trix

Explanation

The adjective obstetric describes things having something to do with childbirth. Much of an obstetric nurse's job, for example, is helping laboring mothers. If you go to medical school, you might have an obstetric textbook, and later you'll probably do a residency in the obstetric area of a hospital, where women give birth. The field is called obstetrics, and both words (along with the alternative adjective obstetrical) come from the Modern Latin root obstetrix, which means "midwife," or literally, "one who stands opposite."

Example Sentences

These inspections were introduced for all 18 obstetric units in Scotland, after an independent review that followed a spike in the deaths of newborn babies.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

Women are more than four times as likely as men to attend routine checkups, largely because of gynecologic and obstetric visits.

From Science Daily • Jan. 30, 2026

The lack of medical supplies and facilities is also a major factor, he said, with over 94 percent of hospitals damaged or destroyed, and only 15 percent of operational facilities offering emergency obstetric care.

From Barron's • Oct. 22, 2025

“If this was Massachusetts or Ohio, she would have had that delivery within a couple hours,” said Dr. Susan Mann, a national patient safety expert in obstetric care who teaches at Harvard University.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2024

No one, not even the nuns, had had the courage to enter the obstetric ward.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston