Xsolaoyo: A 28-Year-Old Expectant Mother Had to Terminate Her Pregnancy Due to a Mermaid Fetus
Recently, a 28-year-old expectant mother discovered during an ultrasound that the fetus did not have a stomach bubble. Continuing with further examinations, it was found that several vital organs including both kidneys, bladder, and external genitalia were completely absent. The lower limbs were fused together from the hip down into one single leg without any gluteal groove. Based on these findings, the fetus could be preliminarily identified as having "Mermaid Syndrome."
On the afternoon of February 8th, around 3 PM, this 28-year-old expectant mother went to the hospital requesting a prenatal ultrasound examination. She informed the doctor that she had previously undergone such an examination at another hospital but due to very low levels of amniotic fluid, the ultrasound images were unclear.
Amniotic fluid is essential in ultrasound examinations, acting as a crucial "acoustic window" for clear imaging. Director Gong Hongping from the Ultrasound Imaging Department of the Fifth Hospital explained that a normally pregnant woman at 26 weeks should have between 300-400ml of amniotic fluid. However, upon examination, it was found that this pregnant woman had almost no amniotic fluid, making the diagnosis extremely challenging.
Following standard procedures, Director Gong began scanning from the fetal head downward. Upon reaching the upper abdomen, a significant anomaly was detected - the fetus did not have a stomach bubble. Further checks revealed the absence of several critical organs including both kidneys, bladder, and external genitalia. The lower limbs were fused together from the hip down, forming just one leg with no gluteal groove. Based on these findings, the fetus was preliminarily diagnosed with "Mermaid Syndrome" (also known as "Sirenomelia" or "Mermaid Syndrome"), which was later confirmed after repeated examinations.
"Mermaid Syndrome" is primarily characterized by anal atresia, abnormal urogenital systems, and underdeveloped lower limbs. It gets its name because the child's legs are either joined or completely fused, resembling the mythical mermaid. This condition is extremely rare, occurring at a probability of only 1.67 per 100,000 births.
Director Huang Ling from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Fifth Hospital introduced that typically, "mermaid fetuses" have their lower limbs in a fused state, but two legs can still be faintly seen. In this case, the fetus not only lacked multiple vital organs but also had heart deformities and only one leg, representing a severe malformation incompatible with life. Therefore, she advised the pregnant woman to terminate the pregnancy at that time.