Embryotomy

/ɛmbrioʊˈɑtəmi/ noun

Definition

A surgical operation in which an embryo or fetus is cut or dismembered to facilitate delivery.

Etymology

From embryo + Greek tome, 'a cutting or section.' This medical term emerged in the 18th-19th centuries when obstetrics faced dire situations.

Kelly Says

Embryotomy represents a dark chapter in medical history—but also shows human ingenuity in solving problems; modern cesarean sections replaced this procedure and reduced maternal mortality by transforming impossible births into surgeries.

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