Word parts
mal- badformation shaping
What it means
Malformations range from minor, such as an extra finger, to serious, such as heart defects, cleft lip and palate or spina bifidaSPY-nuh BIF-ih-duhA birth defect in which the bones of the spine do not close completely around the spinal cord.spina spinebifida split in two (Latin)Full entry . Causes include genes, infections, drugs, alcohol and lack of folic acid in pregnancy. An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels.
At a glance
| Spanish | malformación |
|---|---|
| Also written | malformations |
Related terms
spina bifida
A birth defect in which the bones of the spine do not close completely around the spinal cord.
patent ductus arteriosus
A heart defect in which the ductus arteriosus, a blood vessel between the aorta and pulmonary artery, stays open after birth.