Newborn with rare Mermaid Syndrome passes away

A woman at Government Maternity Hospital, Petlaburj has delivered a baby, which was in the shape of a mermaid, a rare congenital development disorder known Sirenomelia or Mermaid Syndrome on Wednesday.

According to the hospital doctors, due to the critical medical condition, the infant baby died within hours of being born. “The baby was born at around 7 pm on Wednesday and passed away within next two hours. Such babies are extremely rare,” hospital doctors said.

The Sirenomeila or Mermaid Syndrome baby was born with complete fusion of legs, apart from additional absence of



genitourinary organs, gastrointestinal abnormalities, anomalies in the spine, pelvis and even absence of both the kidneys.

Mermaid syndrome babies are extremely rare and based on numerous studies are found approximately one in one lakh live births. The medical condition is fatal within the first day of the life because of complications of abnormal kidney, urinary system and due to absence or no development of anorectal organs. Senior doctors said that the Mermaid syndrome is also linked with maternal diabetes mellitus and intake of cadmium, lead and vitamin A.