The innermost membrane that surrounds and protects a developing baby inside the womb, filled with fluid that cushions the baby.
From Greek 'amnos' (lamb), because early anatomists studying animal fetuses noticed the membrane resembled the amniotic sac of lambs. The term was adopted into medical Latin and then into English scientific terminology in the 17th century.
The amniotic fluid isn't just for cushioning—it's a time capsule of fetal health that doctors can sample to check for genetic conditions, and babies actually breathe it in and out, practicing for life outside the womb!
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