noun
parity
The state of having given birth.
The nurse records the patient's parity in her medical chart.
Etymology
This parity belongs to the Latin family for giving birth. It names a person's childbearing status and has a separate origin from parity meaning equality.
More examples
- Her parity is zero because she has never given birth.
- The study compares women of different ages and parities.
- Doctors consider parity when assessing reproductive health risks.
Forms
parity · parities
parous adjective — Having given birth to a child.
Similar words
- motherhood
- Includes being a mother through adoption, not just childbirth.