How to Pronounce Erythroblastosis Fetalis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Erythroblastosis Fetalis Pronunciation
eh-rith-roh-blas-TOH-sis FEE-tah-lis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
eh
rith
roh
blas
TOH
stress here
sis FEE
tah
lis
8 syllables
What is Erythroblastosis Fetalis?
Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by incompatibility between maternal and fetal blood types — most seriously Rh (Rhesus) factor incompatibility — in which maternal IgG antibodies against fetal red blood cell antigens cross the placenta and destroy fetal red blood cells. It causes varying degrees of fetal anemia, jaundice, and hydrops fetalis (generalized fetal edema), and is prevented by Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) prophylaxis in Rh-negative mothers.
Questions About Erythroblastosis Fetalis
How do you pronounce erythroblastosis fetalis?
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Say it like this: eh-RITH-roh-blas-TOH-sis FEE-tah-lis. The stress falls on the third syllable of the first word (RITH) and on the first syllable of the second word (FEE). It's a long word, but breaking it into chunks makes it easier to handle.
What's the correct way to say the stressed syllables?
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The stressed syllables are RITH and FEE, so the phrase sounds like: eh-RITH-roh-blas-TOH-sis FEE-tah-lis. Many people mistakenly stress the wrong part—like saying eh-rith-roh-BLAS-toh-sis instead—so remember that the emphasis comes earlier in the word.
Can you break this word into syllables for me?
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Sure! Erythroblastosis breaks into: e-RYTH-ro-blas-TO-sis (six syllables), and fetalis breaks into: fe-TAL-is (three syllables). Put them together and you have nine syllables total.
What do the word parts mean?
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Erythro- comes from Greek and means "red" (as in red blood cells), -blast means "immature cell," and -osis means "condition or disease." Fetalis is Latin for "of the fetus." So the word literally means "a condition of immature red cells of the fetus."
What's a simpler way to say erythroblastosis fetalis?
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Doctors often just call it hemolytic disease of the newborn, or use the short form HDN. You might also hear people say "erythroblastosis" (just the first part) when they're talking about it quickly.
What other medical words share the 'erythro-' root?
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Several words use the same "erythro-" root meaning red: erythrocyte (a red blood cell), erythromycin (a red-colored antibiotic), and erythema (redness of the skin). Once you know the root means "red," these related words become easier to understand.
How would you use this word in a sentence?
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You might hear it like this: "The patient was diagnosed with erythroblastosis fetalis during pregnancy." Or: "We discussed the risk of erythroblastosis fetalis given the blood type incompatibility."