NEWS: "Mermaid" baby born in Peru

CULTURE: "Mermaid" baby born in Peru

A baby was born in Peru with an affliction called sirenomelia, where both legs are fused together, the eyes are usually fluid-like, and the ears are usually stunted. The birth defect is caused by a lack of flow to the lower extremities in utero which causes them to be fused together.
The name sirenomelia comes from the root "sireno", or mermaid, which characterizes the disorder.
Typically, infants born with the disorder do not survive the first twenty-four hours. The Department of General Surgery, Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne, Australia has reported about a child that lived for four years after being born with this disorder.
While the article is in Norwegian, the photograph shows the infant with the disorder.

Thats actually kind of depressing.

Kinda or is?

woah that's freaky

Awwwwww

oh how sad

Poor kid.

that kid is HUGE! i was expecting to see a newborn.

but indeed, it is very sad..

It was sad
and
It was interesting.

Here's to bumming out the boards

aw that is depressing... at least its still a cute baby.

the baby is adorable. it really looks like a cute little baby mermaid.

I used to think that mermaids were sexy and hot...

Now I just think theyre sexy.

eh, c'est la vie.

poor little thing..

can they seperate his legs? it seems like if they can seperate conjoined twins, legs should be no problem, as there's no vital organs involved or anything..

I wonder how she goes to the bathroom.


How I fear being the first to ask this.

[Edited on May 06, 2004 by Jeff_Fries]

That's just bizarre

I hope the kid grows up alright.

Very sad...

That kid will have more money by the time he/she's ten than all of us combined.

So don't feel too bad.

What's your source?