acardius

noun

acar·​dius (ˈ)ā-ˈkärd-ē-əs How to pronounce acardius (audio)
: one of a pair of twin fetuses that develops without a heart and receives its blood supply from its twin through vascular connections on the placenta
… due to the parasitic relationship of the acardius, there is a high risk of mortality (50-75%) in the donor twin …Ona Marie Faye-Peterson et al., Handbook of Placental Pathology

Dictionary Entries Near acardius

Cite this Entry

“Acardius.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/acardius. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!