also: ほうい · ほうえ
Refers to the placenta and fetal membranes expelled after childbirth. The reading えな is the native Japanese term; ほうい is the Sino-Japanese medical term.
After childbirth, the placenta is expelled from the body.
The method of disposing of the afterbirth varies by hospital.
Standard kanji form for the native Japanese reading えな.
Sino-Japanese reading; used in medical or formal contexts.
Alternate Sino-Japanese reading; less common than ほうい.
Kana spelling; common in everyday or non-technical writing.
The native Japanese reading えな is of uncertain origin. The kanji 胞衣 literally mean 'womb garment' and are used for their meaning rather than phonetic value.