afstoting

Afstoting is a Dutch noun that denotes the act or process of detaching, shedding, or casting off something. It is derived from the verb afstoten, which means to push away, reject, or detach. The term is used in several fields with related but distinct senses.

In obstetrics and gynecology, afstoting most commonly refers to spontaneous abortion, the involuntary loss of a pregnancy. It describes pregnancy loss before viability, and symptoms may include vaginal bleeding and cramps; the exact definition and threshold vary by jurisdiction.

In botany, afstoting is equivalent to abscission, the natural shedding of leaves, fruits, flowers, or bark. This process occurs at specialized abscission zones and can be triggered by seasonal change, aging, drought, or mechanical damage. Abscission helps plants conserve resources or defend against infection.

In broader usage, the term can denote any shedding or detachment process in living organisms or inorganic systems, though this broader sense is less technical and context-dependent. The word thus functions as a general descriptor for a range of detachment phenomena, with specifics depending on the field of application.