Plural of decidua; the innermost lining of the uterus that forms during pregnancy and is shed after childbirth.
From Latin 'decidua' meaning 'that which falls off,' from 'decidere' (to fall down). The term was applied to the uterine lining because it was observed to be expelled after pregnancy, like leaves falling from a tree.
The word 'decidua' beautifully mirrors the term 'deciduous' (trees that shed leaves)—both describe things that fall away. Your body naturally sheds this lining postpartum in a process that can last weeks, making it one of nature's remarkable recycling systems.
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