childbearing

Etymology

From Middle English childberyng, childbering, chyldberynge, child berynge, equivalent to child + bearing.

noun

1. The process of giving birth; pregnancy and parturition
   From the Swedish returns (1776-1855) it appears that 100 childbearings produced 101.62 children, viz., 2.82 stillborn, 98.80 quickborn; consequently 100 quickborn children imply 101.21 childbearings. 1865, Great Britain. General Register Office, Annual Report ... of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England and Wales ... (volumes 26–30, page 243)

adj

1. Of, pertaining to, or suitable for childbirth
   1836 Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton - England and the English Women in the latter stages of childbearing should not be permitted to attend the toll of the manufactories.
   2000 Methodology for deriving ambient water quality criteria for the protection of human health In these cases, fish intake rates specific to females of childbearing age are most appropriate when assessing exposures to developmental toxicants.
   Hips that in the old country would be considered good childbearing hips, but in this country are too wide. 2004 Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Stephanie Marston - Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul: Stories Celebrating the Wisdom, Fun and Freedom of Midlife http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0757302106&id=CsIrIP_DiawC&pg=RA1-PA256&lpg=RA1-PA256&ots=gJt6TvhaXv&dq=%22Hips+that+in+the+old+country+would+be+considered+good+childbearing+hips%22&sig=--XJ23Fa1j1qK1s2wlfHPwHShg8 (page 256)