Definition
A specially designed seat or stool historically used by women during childbirth to support them in an upright or squatting position.
Etymology
Compound of 'birth' and 'stool' (Old English 'stol', from Proto-Germanic 'stulaz'). Used for centuries before modern hospital beds, designed to aid gravity-assisted delivery.
Kelly Says
Birthstools show how women's bodies were once understood differently—upright positions actually help labor progress, but 19th-century doctors switched to lying-down delivery for *their* convenience, often slowing birth!
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ወልደ መስክ
wel-de mes-k
ARالعربية
كرسي الولادة
kar-si al-walada
BNবাংলা
জন্মের আসন
janmer asan
CACatalà
cadira de naixement
ka-di-ra deh na-i-x-ement
CSČeština
porodní židle
po-ro-dni zhy-dle
DADansk
fødselsstol
foed-sels-stol
DEDeutsch
Geburtsstuhl
geh-boorts-shtool
ELΕλληνικά
κάθισμα γέννησης
ka-th-isma gen-nees-sis
ESEspañol
sillón de parto
see-llohn deh par-toh
FAفارسی
صندلی زایمان
sand-li-ye zay-maan
FISuomi
synnytystoli
syn-ny-ty-sto-li
FRFrançais
chaise de accouchement
shayz deh ah-koo-m-man
GUGU
જન્મની ખાટ
janm-nee khaat
HAHA
kayan haihuwa
ka-yan hai-hu-wa
HEעברית
כיסא לידה
kisa lida
HIहिन्दी
जन्म कुर्सी
janm kur-see
HUMagyar
szülészeti szék
shyu-les-e-ti shek
IDBahasa Indonesia
kursi persalinan
kur-see pe-r-sa-li-nan
IGIG
ọkpụrụ ụmụaka
oh-koo-roo oo-moo-ah-kah
ITItaliano
sedia del parto
se-dee-ah del par-toh
JA日本語
出産用椅子
shussan-you-isu
KMKM
ឫសាគម ការប្រើ
o-sa-a-gam ka-ar-breh
KO한국어
출산 의자
chul-san ui-ja
MRMR
जन्माचे कुर्ची
janma-che kur-chee
MSBahasa Melayu
kerusi bersalin
ke-ru-si ber-sa-lin
MYမြန်မာ
မွေးချင်း အုပ်
mu-we-chin a-up
NLNederlands
bevallingsstoel
be-val-lings-stoel
NONorsk
fødselsstol
foed-sels-stol
PAPA
ਜਨਮ-ਦੀ chaise
janam-dee cha-ise
PLPolski
fotel dla porodu
fo-tel dla po-ro-du
PTPortuguês
cadeira de parto
ka-de-rah deh par-toh
RORomână
scaun de naștere
skaun deh na-s-te-re
RUРусский
кресло для родов
kreslo dlya rodov
SVSvenska
förlossningsstol
for-loss-nings-stol
SWKiswahili
mwenyeku wa kuzaliwa
mwe-nye-ku wa ku-za-li-wa
TAதமிழ்
பிறப்புக்கான நாற்காலி
piruppukka-na naark-kaali
TEతెలుగు
జనన అసనం
janana asanam
THไทย
เก้าอี้คลอด
kao-ee khl-od
TLTL
upuan ng kapanganakan
u-pua-n ng ka-pan-ga-na-kan
TRTürkçe
doğum sandalyesi
doh-oom san-da-lye-seh
UKУкраїнська
крісло для пологів
krylso dlya polohiv
URاردو
ولادت کا چئیر
wala-dat ka che-ir
VITiếng Việt
ghế sinh nhật
ghe sinh-nhat
YOYO
Ọrọ̀ ẹ̀bọ̀
oh-roh eh-boh
ZUZU
isitiso lokuzalwa
i-si-ti-so lo-ku-zal-wa
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Essential tool for female-attended births across cultures; medical modernization in Western contexts replaced birth stools with supine delivery beds, erasing women's embodied knowledge of birthing mechanics.
Inclusive Usage
When discussing birth history, credit midwives' expertise in using tools supporting upright positions; acknowledge how medical professionalization displaced this knowledge.
Empowerment Note
Midwives' understanding of ergonomic birthing positions—embedded in traditional stools—represents sophisticated anatomical and physiological knowledge deliberately marginalized by male-dominated obstetrics.