Mermaid Syndrome or Sirenomelia Condition

What is Mermaid Syndrome or Sirenomelia?

Mermaid syndrome or Sirenomelia is a medical condition that causes a baby’s legs to be fused together. Other names for mermaid syndrome include:

• Sirenomelia sequence
• Sirenomelia syndrome
• Sirenomelus

Mermaid syndrome is a very rare disorder affecting 0.8 to 1 baby per 100,000. Male babies experience this condition three times more often than females.

Symptoms

Sirenomelia is a severe form of caudal regression syndrome, a term for disorders that involve problems forming the lower part of the spine. The most distinguishing characteristic of mermaid syndrome is legs that are either partly or completely fused together. However, babies born with mermaid syndrome also tend to have other anomalies that affect their abilities to survive outside the womb. These include:

• Absent tailbone
• Anal atresia
• Foot abnormalities that include the absence of feet or feet rotated outward
• Gastrointestinal abnormalities
• Heart malformations
• Partly or completely missing sacrum
• Spina bifida
• Underdeveloped or absent kidneys
• Underdeveloped lungs

Diagnosis

Doctor may perform an ultrasound during pregnancy to view the fetus. At that time, a doctor may identify the abnormalities associated with mermaid syndrome, especially the fused lower limbs.

Causes

Potential environmental causes of mermaid syndrome and other caudal regression syndrome types include:

• Alcohol use
• Amino acid imbalances
• Lack of oxygen in the uterus
• Exposure to toxins, including those in cigarettes, lithium, and cocaine
• Exposure to retinoic acid

Risk Factors

As per doctors, maternal diabetes can be a reason.

Treatment

Treatment for a baby with mermaid syndrome usually involves seeing multiple medical specialists. The specialties depend on the syndrome’s effects. Orthopaedic surgeons have performed procedures to separate fused limbs. However, even with treatment, mermaid syndrome is typically fatal past the new-born period. Leg bones in those children with mermaid syndrome past this period are often fragile and prone to breakage. They may require multiple surgeries, both for their lower body and for any other genetic abnormalities, such as kidney disorders.

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Frequently asked questions

Q. Can you live with mermaid syndrome?

Sirenomelia (mermaid syndrome) is a rare congenital fetal anomaly with characteristic feature of complete or partial fusion of lower limbs. Although, this syndrome is incompatible with life due to the association of several congenital visceral abnormalities; however, there are few reports of surviving infants.

Q. Are there any treatments for Sirenomelia?

The exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to result from irregularities in early development of the blood circulating system within the embryo. Surgery has been successful in separating joined legs. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive.

Q. Can Sirenomelia be prevented?

There is no treatment available for sirenomelia. However prevention is possible and should be the goal. Because of strong association of sirenomelia and maternal diabetes mellitus there should be optimum maternal blood glucose level in preconceptual period and in first trimester to prevent this anomaly.

Q. Is Mermaid Syndrome a genetic disorder?

Mermaid syndrome, or sirenomelia, is a set of genetic abnormalities that cause a baby to be born with fused limbs, which may resemble a mermaid's tail. The condition is very rare, with only 300 reports of this condition occurring in the world and is often fatal.

Q. How long can you live with mermaid syndrome?

Most babies with this condition are stillborn or die within a few days of birth, despite treatment. Worldwide, only a few babies have survived beyond the newborn stage. It is sometimes possible to detect mermaid syndrome as early as 13 weeks of pregnancy, and some people may choose a termination in these circumstances.