A 23-year old woman from Yichang City, Hubei Province in Central China has decided to terminate her pregnancy on its sixth month after undergoing a check-up at a local health center. Wu's decision came after she discovered that the baby in her womb had a mermaid-like tail instead of legs.
Daily Mirror reported that after a pregnancy scan, Wu was told by doctors that the fetus had tails and had problems with the liver and did not even have a bladder. The doctors confirmed that the fetus had a deformity called sirenomelia, also commonly known as Mermaid's Syndrome. What sealed the mother's decision was the knowledge that even if she continued her pregnancy, the baby would only have a few hours to live.
Information from Rare DIseases indicated that Sirenomelia is a congenital development disorder considered rare as the case ratio is only one is to 100,000. This disorder affects the lower limbs and spine and is manifested in joint legs either partially or completely. Abnormalities can also form in the intestines, pelvis, spine and kidneys. It can also lead to other conditions such as malformations in the heart, spine defect and imperforate anus.
While those infected with Sirenomelia usually die a few hours after birth or during the first year, some have survived into childhood or even early adulthood but these are rare cases. News7 reported the case of Shiloh Pepin, the American child who has become well-known for the mermaid syndrome disorder.
Pepin had 150 operations to correct the deformity. But even if she survived into childhood, she died at age 10 in 2009.
Daily Mail said Pepin's case was beyond the expectations of her doctors because of her survival period. Aside from her fused legs, she also had problems with her organs including her bladder, uterus and rectum. Relating the difficulties experienced by Pepin and her parents and it will be easy to understand Wu's decision to terminate her pregnancy.
