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Glite Dictionary
superfetation

superfetation

1 9.9
A second egg becomes fertilized during a pregnancy, creating two unborn babies of different ages in the womb
  • noun
  • /ˌsuːpərfɪˈteɪʃən/
  • Specialized
: superfetación
  • Superfetation is extremely rare in humans but can occur in some animal species.

Examples

  • The rare occurrence of superfetation can lead to unique medical cases.

  • The veterinarian explained that the twins were the result of superfetation.

  • Scientists are studying the biological factors that make superfetation possible in certain mammals.

  • Did you know that superfetation is extremely uncommon?

  • Superfetation occurs when a second ovum is fertilized while a woman is already pregnant.

  • In rare cases of superfetation, two fetuses can develop in the uterus at different stages.

  • Medical experts warn that superfetation can lead to complications during pregnancy.

Surface Forms

superfetation singular
superfetations plural

Morphology

superfetation = superfetate (semi-transparent) = super + fetate + ion

The prefix 'super-' (extra) plus the medical root signal an additional fetal occurrence, but the term refers to a specialised obstetric phenomenon unlikely to be fully predictable for average learners.

Etymology

Superfetation comes from the Latin parts super- meaning 'above' and fetus meaning 'young' or 'baby', the same root as the English word fetus. So, superfetation literally means a new baby forming 'on top of' an existing pregnancy, which explains why two fetuses of different ages can be in the uterus at the same time.