Grotesque baby born in Rawalpindi

A baby was born with Sirenomelia, also called mermaid syndrome, at a hospital in Rawalpindi on Saturday having a tail-shaped leg and a head that is larger than normal size.

The woman named Hussan Ara, a resident of Narowal, was hospitalized for the delivery. Since she has heart problems, she receives treatment at the hospital after giving birth to the child.

According to hospital sources, the baby was born dead because babies with the disease generally cannot survive.

They added that the baby’s head was larger than normal height with two arms and a leg resembling a tail attached to his abdomen.

Sirenomelia is a rare congenital malformation in which the legs are merged, giving the appearance of a siren tail, hence the nickname.

According to healthline.com, the disease is very rare and affects 0.8 to 1 baby per 100,000 live births. Male infants experience this condition three times as often as females.

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes mermaid syndrome, but they think it’s probably a combination of environmental and genetic factors, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

Doctors refer to many cases as “sporadic”, which means that they happen for no known reason. These causes often result in a decrease in blood circulation in the embryo, especially in the area where the lower limbs would normally develop.