A baby in the shape of a mermaid baby was born in Hyderabad on Wednesday, at the Hyderabad Petalburj Maternity Hospital in India.
Unfortunately, the baby did not survive for long, passing away within hours due to the critical birth defect.
The condition known as the mermaid syndrome is extremely rare, and in most cases in the past few years, infants with the syndrome have not survived for too long.
The baby was born with characteristics in the shape of a mermaid, a mythical creature that is known to have half fish and half human features.
"The baby was born around 7pm on Wednesday and died within the next two hours. Such babies are extremely rare," hospital doctors told CNN.
They also added that the defects may not have been detected before birth, making the situation more complicated.
What is the ‘Mermaid Syndrome?’
Sirenomelia, or the “Mermaid Syndrome” is a type of birth defect where both legs are connected. Visually, it looks like a mermaid, giving it the title of Mermaid Syndrome.
The syndrome is apparent in one in a million babies across the world. There are no causes for the conditions as of yet. Genetic and environmental factors may be a cause behind it, and it has been speculated that this may occur due to gene transfer between two people. The condition may also affect circulatory systems and blood vessels in the body.
In this particular case, the baby was born with fusions between the bones, with disorders in the spine, pelvis and gastrointestinal functions. There was also an absence of both kidneys and genitals.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the condition is unsuitable for life due to several anatomical abnormalities. However, there are a few surviving children with the disorder.
In 2017 and 2018, two babies were born with the same condition. Unfortunately, the infants passed away within minutes and hours as well, much like the Hyderabad baby.