A mother gave birth naturally to a real-life mermaid – India’s second ever ‘mermaid baby’ – but the baby sadly lost its life just four hours later at the Chittaranjan Deva Sadan Hospital in Kolkata, India.
The unnamed baby, whose sex was unclear due to its underdeveloped pelvis and fused legs, suffered from a rare condition known as sirenomelia or ‘mermaid syndrome’. The mother – unable to pay for scans during her pregnancy – only learnt about the baby’s condition when she first saw it after giving birth.
The Mermaid syndrome is thought to affect one in every 60,000 to 100,000 births and happens when the mother lacks proper nutrition or a good blood circulation to the baby is hindered.
What is the Mermaid Syndrome
Sirenomelia, also known as mermaid syndrome, is an extremely rare disorder that causes partial or complete fusion of the legs. It affects one in between 60,000 and 100,000 births. Sufferers may also have gastrointestinal complications and the lack of, or underdeveloped, kidneys. Its cause is unknown. Most sufferers die as newborns due to lung complications and heart defects. Treatment involves surgically separating the legs.
Hopefully my next kid -for in a few months – won’t be a mermaid baby!
