adjective
- Split or cleft into two parts; used chiefly in medical terminology to describe a congenital condition in which a structure is divided or incompletely closed.
Usage: Medical/anatomical term; Most commonly seen in the phrase 'spina bifida'
Examples
- Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that occurs during fetal development.
- The condition bifida refers to an abnormal splitting of bone or tissue.
- Prenatal screening can detect bifida conditions early in pregnancy.
- Patients with spina bifida may require surgical intervention shortly after birth.