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erythroblastosis fetalis

erythroblastosis fetalis

1 8.9
A serious newborn blood condition when the mother's body attacks the baby's red cells because of different blood types
  • noun
  • /ˌɛrɪθroʊblæˈstoʊsɪs ˈfiːtəlɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : eritroblastosis fetal
  • The doctor explained that erythroblastosis fetalis can be prevented with early intervention during pregnancy.

Examples

  • Babies affected by erythroblastosis fetalis often need immediate medical treatment after birth.

  • Doctors diagnosed the newborn with erythroblastosis fetalis.

  • Advances in prenatal care have greatly reduced the incidence of erythroblastosis fetalis over recent decades.

  • The condition known as erythroblastosis fetalis can be life-threatening.

  • If untreated, erythroblastosis fetalis can result in serious health issues for newborns.

  • The pediatrician informed us that erythroblastosis fetalis occurs when Rh incompatibility leads to the destruction of the baby's red blood cells.

  • With proper medical intervention, erythroblastosis fetalis can be effectively managed and treated.

Synonyms

hemolytic anemia
vserythroblastosis fetalis
  • Specialized
2 5.4

A condition causing too few red blood cells because they break down fast

is a newborn condition caused by maternal immune attack due to Rh incompatibility
erythroblastosis
vserythroblastosis fetalis
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A blood disease with too many young red blood cells

is caused by maternal immune destruction leading to severe anemia in newborns

Surface Forms

Morphology

erythroblastosis + fetalis

The term is compositionally built: 'erythroblastosis' names a condition involving immature red blood cells and 'fetalis' is the Latin-derived adjective meaning 'of the fetus' (fetal/newborn). This follows a regular medical noun+adjective pattern so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means the erythroblastosis condition occurring in the fetus/newborn.

Etymology

Erythroblastosis fetalis comes from old word parts: erythro meaning 'red', blast meaning 'young cell', and fetalis meaning 'of the fetus'. This image helps remember the condition: it describes a baby with many immature red blood cells because the mother's immune system attacks the baby's red cells, so the baby has too few healthy red blood cells.