Amelia

From ArticleWorld

Amelia is an extremely rare birth defect characterized by one or more missing limbs. This is caused by an interruption in the limb formation process taking place in the embryo between 24 and 36 days after fertilization.

Amelia may be the sole defect present at birth but for over half the cases, there are also major malformations in other organ systems such as cleft lip or palate, body wall defects which let internal organs protrude through the abdomen and head malformations. Severe growth deficiency and mental retardation may also accompany amelia.

If a baby is born only with amelia, then the chances of survival are good. When combined with other disorders, however, many infants die before birth and of the remainder, 60% die within a year.

Causes

Because of studies into the causes of birth defects, prevention of amelia is becoming more likely. Between the years of 1958 and 1963, pregnant women all over the world but mostly in Germany and England were prescribed Thalidomide, a sedative and anti-nausea drug. It caused thousands of cases of serious limb birth defects including amelia, meromelia (where parts of the limb are missing) and phocomelia (seal like limbs). Other causes are alcohol consumption by pregnant women and maternal diabetes mellitus. Nearly a fifth of all cases are genetic.

Symptoms

The signs to watch out for during pregnancy are abnormal vaginal bleeding, diabetes mellitus and toxemia.