Mermaid Syndrome

Mermaid Syndrome Facts
- Also called: Sirenomelia
- Occurs once out of every 70,000 births http://ijri.org/article.asp?issn=0971-30...
- Over 300 reported live births of children with Mermaid Syndrome http://ijri.org/article.asp?issn=0971-30...
- Usually fatal http://ijri.org/article.asp?issn=0971-30...

Mermaid syndrome is a rare birth defect in which an infant's legs are fused together. The syndrome is related to fatal complications causing infants to die within several days of birth. Common complications include absence of kidneys or urinary tract, heart deformities and severe organ complications.BBC News: 'Mermaid girl' to have legs split(February 4, 2005) Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging: Siremelia

This page contains information on the rare condition known as Mermaid Syndrome as well as background information on the known cases of this syndrome around the world. On this page you'll also find informative videos, detailed pictures and links to places online with more in-depth information regarding Mermaid Syndrome.
Mermaid Syndrome Survivors

There are two known survivors of mermaid syndrome. The oldest survivor is Tiffany Yorks. She is an American, born in the late 1980s. She was born without a bladder She had five surgeries and had her legs surgically separated before she was a year old. Throughout her youth she had many corrective surgical procedures.BNET: The Mermaid(August 15, 2004)

Milagros Cerron is the second long-term survivor of mermaid syndrome. She was born in Peru in 2004. She was born with one kidney and her digestive tract and genitals were a single tube. Her name, Milagros, means miracle in Spanish. She was born to a poor family and the Lima government paid for her medical care. At the age of two she began to walk on her own.BBC News: 'Mermaid girl' to have legs split(February 4, 2005) KCBY.com 11: Miracle baby Born With Mermaid Syndrome Walks on Her Own(April 21, 2007)

Shiloh Pepin, a little girl with mermaid syndrome, died in October 2009. Pepin, who was not expected to live more than just a few days past birth, lived to be 10 years old. She had appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and other television shows.http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/AP/story/1298179.html
Disclaimer

The content in this page is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think your child suffers from mermaid syndrome, please consult your doctor.