Amelia (Noun)
Meaning
Congenital absence of an arm or leg.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Amelia is a rare congenital disorder that affects the development of one or more limbs, resulting in the complete or partial absence of an arm or leg.
- The genetic counselor explained the diagnosis of amelia to the expecting mother, informing her that her child's right leg would be significantly shorter than average.
- Amelia can occur in isolation or as part of a more complex condition, such as the Poland sequence or VATER association.
- Bilateral amelia, where both arms or both legs are affected, is extremely rare and often results in significant disability and challenges for the individual.
- Research on the genetic causes of amelia has shed light on the importance of specific developmental pathways and gene expression during fetal development.