obstetrician

American  

[ob-sti-trish-uhn] / ˌɒb stɪˈtrɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a physician who specializes in obstetrics. OB, ob

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obstetrician British  

/ ˌɒbstɪˈtrɪʃən /

noun

1. a physician who specializes in obstetrics

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Etymology

Origin of obstetrician

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin obstetrīci(a) “midwifery” (noun use of feminine of obstetrīcius ) + -an; obstetric

Explanation

If you were born in the United States, probably the first doctor you ever laid eyes on was an obstetrician, a medical doctor who delivers babies. In many parts of the world, it’s more likely that a midwife would welcome you into the world. But even though an obstetrician is a medical doctor and can be male or female, the name goes back to the Latin word for midwife, obstetrix, the woman who "stands in front [of the woman having the baby]." Obstetricians are often called “O.B.,” for short, and an O.B. who also treats diseases of the female reproductive system is called an “O.B.-G.Y.N.,” “obstetrician-gynecologist.”

Example Sentences

Her father, Nils Bothén, was a gynecologist and obstetrician.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Throughout her first pregnancy, Wang Yifan had lots of questions, which she usually put to renowned obstetrician Duan Tao -- or rather, an AI clone of the top Shanghai-based doctor.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Fearing the worst, my friend snapped into action, calling around to several acquaintances until one located an obstetrician she trusted who traveled from her home on the outskirts of the city to a clinic downtown.

From Salon • Dec. 3, 2025

"It is troubling and worrisome," said Allison Bryant, a high-risk obstetrician at Massachusetts General Hospital.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2025

Her obstetrician, Dr. Ashley, gauntly handsome in a Lord Mountbatten sort of way, with fine sand-colored hair swept back from his temples, arrives to examine her progress.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri