What is Birth?
[[File:MocheCeramicBirth.jpg|right|thumb|175px|[[Moche]] ceramic vessel showing a woman giving birth. Larco Museum [[Lima]]]] [[Image:Eucharius Rößlin Rosgarten Childbirth.jpg|right|thumb|A woman giving birth on a birth chair, circa 1515]] [[Image:HumanNewborn.JPG|right|thumb|[[Newborn]] after typical hospital birth]] '''Birth''' (to be '''born''') means when a [[baby]] [[animal]] comes out of its [[egg (biology)|egg]], or out of its [[mother]] after [[pregnancy]]. It is sometimes thought of as the beginning of [[life]]. It is also known as '''calving''' in [[livestock]] or '''whelping''' in meat-eating [[mammal]]s.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/birth Birth], dictionary.com, Retrieved on June 10, 2010.</ref> == Related medical words == * [[Childbirth]] is the process at the end of a human [[pregnancy]] that results in a [[baby]] being born. * [[Natural childbirth]] is the technique of minimizing medical intervention, particularly [[anaesthetics]], during [[childbirth]]. * [[Multiple birth]] is the birth of two ([[twin]]s), three (triplets), four (quadruplets), etc., babies resulting from a single pregnancy. * [[Birth pangs]] are the pains felt by the mother during labor * [[Caesarean section]] or C-section is [[surgery|surgical]] birth through the wall of the [[abdomen]]. * [[Placenta|Afterbirth]] is the birth of the placenta following the birth of the baby. * [[Vagina|Birth canal]] is the term used for the [[vagina]] during birth * [[Birth control]] is the prevention of [[pregnancy]]. * [[Congenital disorder|Birth defect]] is a physical or mental abnormality present at the time of birth. * Complications may cause a [[miscarriage]] or spontaneous abortion to occur.<ref>{{cite book |author=Hurwitz, J. and J. Leis |year=1972 |chapter=Directing influence of DNA in the reaction |title=RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity of RNA tumor viruses |pages=116–129}}</ref> * [[Infertility]] treatments are devices, medications, or behavior patterns to increase the probability of pregnancy. * [[Premature birth