Birth: a baby is born with 4 arms and 4 legs

In India, the Hindu goddess Lakshmi has four arms. It is traditionally associated with fortune, prosperity and abundance. A baby girl born in the state of Uttar Pradesha few days ago, is considered the reincarnation of this goddess. In question ? An extremely rare malformation called polymelia or the presence of a “parasitic twin” which could not have developed. The baby presents 4 arms and 4 legs.

Woman gives birth to baby with four arms, legs in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi – India News https://t.co/wTXqkP8LWI

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India: a birth considered miraculous

On July 2, in India, a baby girl was born at the community health center in Shahabad, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It has 4 arms and 4 legs. If locals see her as the reincarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, this malformation can have different medical causes.

Indeed, polymelia is an extremely rare condition, only a few cases worldwide have been reported. Moreover, an Iraqi baby was operated on in 2017 for this malformation. It had 8 legs and 8 arms. Polymelia is due to presence of a twin in the mother’s womb (at the beginning of embryonic development). If the growth of the second fetus stops, some limbs may continue to develop and eventually attach themselves to the surviving twin.

Another possible cause, a simple polymelia, that is to say a congenital anomaly which causes the development of several members simultaneously at the fetal stage.

Polymelia: what is the baby’s state of health?

If the images of this malformation are impressive, the little girl is in good health according to the doctors. She was taken to a specialized center so that she received the best possible care. The mother is also in good health according to information from the newspaper The Independent.

This was also the case for the little Iraqi boy, who, after having undergone several operations, should return to a normal life. Indeed, of many surgeries may be needed to remove supernumerary limbs and avoid certain complications related to their development on the abdomen. Generally, the vital prognosis is not engaged in this rare affection.

In France, the case of babies born without arms

If polymelia is very rare and has not been observed in France, another malformation case made headlines in 2018. Seven children born between 2009 and 2014 with an upper limb malformation, a forearm, a hand or fingers less. All these cases occurred within a radius of 17.6 kilometers around the town of Druillat, in Ain.

Many causes had been mentioned to explain this disturbing phenomenon, in particular, exposure to a teratogen such as a pesticide. A report was launched, unfortunately, the expert committee did not find a satisfactory answer to explain these cases of malformations. Transverse agenesis of the upper limbs (ATMS) is a rare malformation in France (150 births per year). There are normally 1.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.