Health officials have launched an investigation after three babies were born with rare hand deformations in the last four months in Germany.
“Between June 2019 and the beginning of September 2019, a total of three children with isolated one-sided malformations were born in the Obstetric Department of St. Mary’s Hospital Buer,” wrote the hospital in a statement. “These children, all of whom were not seen by our clinic prenatally, were diagnosed with no further malformations.”
All born at Saint Mary’s Hospital, two children have a deformed left hand with deformed palms and fingers. A third child presented the same condition but in the right hand. Doctors aren’t sure as to what caused the deformations and no ethnic, cultural, or social similarities have been identified in all three families other than they all live in the same area, which is why toxicologists are investigating, as such circumstances suggest environmental factors rather than genetics.
“We have not seen malformations of this kind for many years. Multiple occurrences now may also be a random accumulation. However, we find the brief period in which we are now seeing these three cases striking,” said the hospital, adding that statistically speaking only about 1 to 2 percent of all newborns are “born with a malformation of varying severity.”
Amniotic band syndrome occurs when the inner lining of the amniotic sack peels away and attaches to parts around the baby’s body to disrupt development.
“Several infections and toxins can cause harm to the development of a fetus, particularly within the first two months after conception. The hospital also notes that amniotic band syndrome has been known to reduce the development of limbs. This occurs when the inner lining of the amniotic sack peels away and attaches to parts around the baby’s body to disrupt development,” according to the Benioff Children’s Hospital Fetal Treatment Centre in San Francisco.
Expects are investigating the deformations, to try and prevent any more children being born with them.
