Chorioamnionitis is a medical condition marked by infection of the fetal membranes (chorion and amnion) and the surrounding amniotic fluid. It typically occurs during pregnancy or labor and can pose serious maternal and fetal risks if not promptly treated. The term combines anatomical roots with the -itis suffix indicating inflammation.
"The obstetric team investigated maternal fever and performed amniotic fluid sampling to rule out chorioamnionitis."
"Chorioamnionitis requires prompt antibiotic therapy to minimize neonatal complications."
"He was diagnosed with chorioamnionitis after signs of placental inflammation were observed post-delivery."
"Researchers are studying the long-term outcomes of pregnancies affected by chorioamnionitis to improve care strategies."
Chorioamnionitis derives from a combination of terms from Greek and Latin. The prefix chorio- comes from Greek chorion, meaning 'membrane' and is used in anatomical terms for the fetal membranes. Amnion comes from Greek amnion, the innermost fetal membrane surrounding the amniotic cavity. The suffix -itis is from Greek -itis, signaling inflammation. The word effectively concatenates elements that identify the infected tissues and the inflammatory process: chorion and amnion (the fetal membranes) and -itis (inflammation). The earliest medical usage likely appeared in the late 19th to early 20th century as obstetrics formalized terminology for intra-amniotic infections. Over time, as understanding of placental diseases advanced, chorioamnionitis became a standard diagnostic descriptor in obstetric pathology and clinical practice, with the term now common in obstetric textbooks, journals, and clinical guidelines.
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Words that rhyme with "Chorioamnionitis"
-ion sounds
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Break it into syllables: chorio-amnion-itis. Pronounce as /ˌkɔr.iˌɒmˈniːˌɒnɪˌtaɪtɪs/ for US; more precisely [ˌkɔː.ri.oʊ-ˌæm.niˈɒ.nɪ.tɪs] depending on region. Emphasize the mid- to late-stress in the three-part word: chori-O-amni-ON-itis. The most stable guidance is: KOR-ee-oh-AM-nee-ON-uh-tis with a light secondary emphasis on the first and a clear -itis at the end. An audio reference can help you map the syllables.
Common errors include flattening the second syllable so chorio becomes CHOR-ee-oh instead of KOR-ee-oh; misplacing the stress, treating the word as CHOR-ee-uh-ami-uh-NY-tis; and mispronouncing amnion as am-NEE-on instead of AM-nee-on. To correct: keep the -amnion- segment as AM-nee-ən, and place primary stress on the antepenultimate or penultimate depending on accent, ending with -itis as ih-tis.
In US: tends to reduce vowels slightly and place rhythm on chorio- and -amnion- with a clear -itis at the end: /ˌkɔr.iˌɒm.niˈɒ.nɪ.tɪs/. UK: slightly sharper vowel qualities in the first two clusters, less rhoticity in non-Rhotic accents, and may yield /ˌkɒri.oʊ-ˌæm.niˈɒn.ɪ.tɪs/. Australia: similar to UK with vowel shifts toward more open front vowels; [ˌkɒɹiˌɒm.niˈɒnɪ.tɪs]. All share the -nis final syllable with a crisp -tɪs.
Because it strings several multisyllabic medical roots together: chorio- (KOR-ee-oh), amnion (AM-nee-on), and -itis (NY-tis). The tricky parts are the unstressed internal segments and the sequence of vowels in amnion versus amni-; plus the -ion- cluster with a reduced vowel in fast speech. Focus on clean separation of syllables and maintaining the /ˌkɔr.i.oʊ-ˌæm.ni.əˈnaɪ.tɪs/ rhythm.
A unique challenge is keeping the three main morphemes distinct: chorio-, amnion-, and -itis. The first morpheme carries a strong initial cluster CHOR-ee-oh; the middle morpheme has AM-nee-on with a flowing /niː/ or /nɪ/ depending on variant, and the final -itis should land on a crisp /ɪs/ or /ɪs/ with a clear /t/. Visualize saying three small words together: CHOR-ee-oh AM-nee-on-itis.
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