afterbirth
4
7.8
Tissue and membranes a woman passes from her womb after a baby is born
- noun
- /ˈæftərˌbɜrθ/
- Specialized
:
membranas fetales
- I saw to the afterbirth and made sure JoAnn was cleaned out well.
- eat the afterbirth
- push out the afterbirth
- deliver the afterbirth
Examples
-
Following the birth, they carefully examined the afterbirth for any signs of complications.
-
Sometimes the afterbirth did not fall cleanly away.
Fiction book (1997) -
I fed the mother a bowl of comfrey tea, and it brought the afterbirth down perfectly.
Fiction book (1995) -
Another head of curly black hair slid down between her legs, swimming out with the afterbirth.
Fiction book (1999) -
After the baby was born, the doctor checked to ensure the afterbirth was delivered completely.
-
The veterinarian explained the importance of monitoring the afterbirth to ensure the mother's health.
Surface Forms
afterbirth singular
afterbirths plural
Morphology
Etymology
The word afterbirth is just after + birth, where after means 'after' the baby is born. It names the placenta and other parts that come out of the mother right after the baby, so the origin explains the modern meaning.