3 syllables: Ob, stet, rics. Stress on stet.
uhb-STET-riks
/əbˈstɛtɹɪks/
Obstetrics is pronounced uhb-STET-riks (/əbˈstɛtɹɪks/). It has three syllables (Ob-stet-rics), with the stress on "stet". Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It covers monitoring fetal development, managing complications, and providing care and guidance to mothers before, during, and after delivery.
nounObstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It covers monitoring fetal development, managing complications, and providing care and guidance to mothers before, during, and after delivery.
"She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology."
"The obstetrics team prepared for the scheduled cesarean section."
"Obstetrics often collaborates with pediatrics for newborn care."
Pronounce it ob-STEH-triks, with the primary stress on the second syllable: /ɒbˈstɛt.rɪks/ in US, /əbˈstɛt.rɪks/ in UK. The 'stet' portion has a clear 'stet' sound, and the final '-rics' is a quick 'riks' with a short 'i' as in 'rick.' If you’re listening, focus on the 'STEH' vowel as the core: /ˈstɛt/ vs a softer /ˈstɛt/ in some dialects. Practicing with rhythm can help: ob-STET-ricks.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting it on the first syllable as OB-stetrics) and blending the second and third syllables too loosely, turning /stɛt.rɪks/ into /stɪk.rɪks/. Another pitfall is pronouncing the initial 'ob' as a long 'oh' instead of a shorter schwa-like sound in rapid speech. A corrective cue: keep the syllabic flow tight around /ˈstɛt/ and clearly articulate the 'r' before /ɪks/.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˌɑːbˈstɛt.rɪks/ with a more open first vowel and rhotic 'r.' UK English favors /əbˈstɛt.rɪks/ with a slightly shorter first vowel and less rhotic emphasis in some regional varieties. Australian tends to align with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech but is generally rhotic in everyday speech, giving /ɒbˈstɛt.rɪks/ or /əbˈstɛt.rɪks/ depending on speaker. Across all, the most stable beat remains the stressed second syllable.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic word with a three-consonant cluster after the stressed vowel: /st.ɛt.rɪks/. The second syllable has a stressed vowel that’s quick, and the final cluster /rɪks/ blends the 'r' with a short 'ɪ' before 'ks.' Errors often involve misplacing the stress or softening the 't' into a flap. Focus on a crisp /ˈstɛt/ and a deliberate /rɪks/ ending.
In natural fast speech, some speakers reduce /stɛt/ toward a compressed /stɛt/ that sounds shorter, but you should not omit it completely. The second syllable carries the primary stress and contains a clear /st/ onset; treating it as a quick, compact beat helps maintain clarity. A practical tip: practice slow, then speed up maintaining a distinct /stɛt/ before the final /rɪks/.
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The term obstetrics derives from the Greek words obstetos, meaning 'to stand in the way' or 'to guard,' and -ics, a suffix denoting a field of study or practice. The root concept is guarding or standing near the mother during birth. The word entered English via Latin obstetricia and French obstétrique, formalizing as a medical specialty in the 18th and 19th centuries as hospitals began to organize dedicated childbirth care. Historically, obstetrics evolved from midwifery and female health care into a scientifically grounded discipline, incorporating anatomy, physiology, anesthesia, and later modern obstetric ultrasound, fetal monitoring, and obstetric surgery. The shift toward hospital-based, team-based care and standardized protocols marked the specialty’s professionalization, with first university medical school departments dedicated to obstetrics emerging in Europe and North America in the 19th century. The term today encompasses prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum care, with emphasis on maternal-fetal health, high-risk pregnancy management, and evidence-based delivery practices.
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Words that rhyme with "Obstetrics"
-ics sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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