#amniotic

• Amnion — A prefixal form or rare variant used in medical and biological terminology to designate the amnion, the membrane of the embryonic sac that protects the fetus during gestation. In archaic or regional contexts, the term may refer directly to the amniotic fluid or the early protective structure of the amniotic egg in vertebrates.
• Amniocentesis — An invasive prenatal diagnostic medical procedure consisting of the transabdominal puncturing of the uterine wall and the amniotic sac, under ultrasound guidance, to extract a sample of amniotic fluid. This technique allows the analysis of desquamated fetal cells in order to detect genetic or chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down syndrome) or intrauterine infections.
• Amniogenesis — The biological process of formation, differentiation, and structural development of the amnion and the amniotic cavity during the early stages of embryonic growth. This phenomenon is essential for ensuring the protective fluid environment required for the subsequent growth of the fetus in amniote vertebrates.
• Amnion — The innermost, thin, and tough extraembryonic membrane that delineates the gestational sac in reptiles, birds, and mammals. This cellular structure secretes the amniotic fluid, providing the embryo and later the fetus with a sterile, thermally constant, and protective aquatic environment against mechanical shocks or destructive tissue adhesions.
• Amnioscopy — An endoscopic clinical diagnostic method that allows the direct visualization of the lower pole of the ovular sac, the membranes, and the appearance of the amniotic fluid through the cervix, utilizing a conical tube equipped with a light source. This investigation is used near the end of pregnancy to detect acute fetal distress by observing fluid color changes (such as the presence of meconium).
• Amniote — An organism or higher vertebrate belonging to the Amniota clade, characterized by embryonic development protected by complex cellular membranes, including the amnion. In an adjectival sense, it describes an egg or an evolutionary stage equipped with an amniotic sac, allowing reproduction completely independent of the external aquatic environment.
• Amniotic — Belonging to the amnion, relating to the amnion or the gestational sac of the embryo; produced, secreted, or located inside the fetal cavity. In a clinical context, the term describes the fluidic, cellular, or structural elements that compose and support the intrauterine developmental environment of the fetus.
• Amniotitis — An acute or chronic inflammation of the amniotic membrane, usually caused by an ascending bacterial infection from the vaginal tract following membrane rupture or during prolonged labor. This pathological condition is closely correlated with chorioamnionitis and represents a major risk for neonatal infection or preterm birth.