What birth defect describes the condition of having a full limb missing?

Amelia refers to a congenital condition characterized by the complete absence of one or more limbs. This condition results from anomalies during the embryonic development period, where limb formation is disrupted. In cases of amelia, a full limb—such as an arm or a leg—is completely missing at birth, which distinguishes it from conditions where the limb might be present but underdeveloped or malformed.

Understanding the context of limb development is crucial, as there are other conditions affecting limb formation. For example, hemimelia refers to the partial absence of a limb, in which some segments are present but not fully formed. Aplasia involves the failure of an organ or tissue to develop, while hypoplasia signifies that an organ or limb is underdeveloped but still present. However, in the case of amelia, it specifically denotes the total and complete lack of a limb, which is why it is the correct answer for the question regarding a full limb missing at birth.