One-third to one-half of infants are stillborn, with all but a few dying in the neonatal period.In cases of monoamniotic twins where one is affected, the twin with sirenomelia is protected from Potter sequence (particularly pulmonary hypoplasia and abnormal facies) by the normal twins production of amniotic fluid. Epidemiology
This condition is found in approximately one out of every 100,000 live births; studies produce rates from 1 in 68,741 to 1 in 97,807. It is 100 to 150 times more likely in identical (monozygotic) twins than in singletons or fraternal twins. Sirenomelia is not associated with any ethnic background, but fetuses with sirenomelia are more likely to be male. Etymology
The word sirenomelia derives from the ancient Greek word seirēn, referring to the mythological Sirens, who were sometimes depicted as mermaids, and melos, meaning "limb". History
Sirenomelia was first reported in 1542. In 1927, Otto Kampmeier discovered the association between sirenomelia and single umbilical artery. Notable individuals
Only a few individuals who had some functioning kidney tissue have survived the neonatal period. Tiffany Yorks
Tiffany Yorks of Clearwater, Florida (May 7, 1988 – February 24, 2016) underwent successful surgery in order to separate her legs before she was a year old. She was the longest-surviving sirenomelia patient to date. She had mobility issues due to her fragile leg bones, and compensated by using crutches or a wheelchair. She died on February 24, 2016, at the age of 27.
A second operation to complete the separation up to the groin took place on September 7, 2006.Her doctor Luis Rubio said he was pleased with the progress Milagros had made, but cautioned that she still needed 10 to 15 years of rehabilitation and more operations before she could lead a normal life, particularly reconstructive surgery to rebuild her rudimentary anus, urethra and genitalia. Milagros parents are from a poor village in Perus Andes Mountains; the Solidarity Hospital had given a job to her father Ricardo Cerrón so that the family could remain in Lima, while the City of Lima pledged to pay for many of the operations.She died on October 24, 2019, at the age of 15. == References ==