Monstrosity: severe deformity

Monstrosity or monstrum: an abnormality in which the baby shows serious external abnormalities. In some cases, people believe that they are dealing with an alien or a demon. This is sometimes an issue, especially in some cultures, and a baby born with it is a taboo.

What is monstrosity?

Monstrosity is also called monstrum, and has significance for a child with a very serious deformity. This serious deformity is caused by a hereditary abnormality or a disturbance during the development of the unborn fetus. Most abnormalities occur during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. The causes of monstrosity can be very different, but are usually hereditary, a viral infection, drugs or certain radiation.

Baby with alien appearance

In Germany in 1735, a baby was born that looked very much like an alien. The baby obviously did not survive, but was preserved in formaldehyde. The monstrous baby can be viewed in the museum in Waldenburg, Germany. Many people at the time believed that the baby came from extraterrestrial life. The baby has a large head and very large eye sockets. On top of the head was a kind of bag, which seemed to be filled with the brain. On the left of the photo the baby that was born. By the way, the woman had previously given birth to healthy children.

Anencephaly

In anencephaly (anencephalus), the neural tube does not close properly. The central nervous system normally arises from this tube. When the tube is not closed properly, the brain does not develop sufficiently or not at all. The abnormality occurs 20 to 28 days after conception. This abnormality is more common in female embryos. The result is a baby that is stillborn, or will die shortly after birth. There is no point in trying to save this baby: he or she will never be able to live a normal life and there will never be consciousness. Babies born with anencephaly often look very strange, with a flattened head. The skull roof and meninges are missing. The eyes are often bulging (frog eyes) and there is little evidence of a neck. This abnormality is sometimes caused by the use of certain medications. to the left of this article is a photo of a baby with anencephaly.

The babies born with anencephalus have no chance of survival. However, an exceptional case sometimes occurs: Nicholas Coke is a baby who was born with anencephaly and managed to live to the age of two. A miracle.

Trisomy 13 and 18

The most well-known form of trisome is trisomy 21: Down syndrome. This involves an extra third chromosome 21. Trisomy 13 means an extra third chromosome 13. This causes Patau syndrome. Children born with Patau syndrome are often stillborn or die shortly after birth. In some cases they live for a few months but still die. In only five cases are there children with Patau syndrome who have lived to be older than ten years. The facial abnormalities are particularly characteristic: the nose is often missing and a cleft lip occurs. Eye abnormalities are also common. Extra fingers and toes are often visible on the hands and feet.

In trisomy 18, an extra third chromosome 18 is present. The face is small, the skull often large. The hands are often clenched into fists. Trisomy 18 usually does not cause serious symptoms. Most children die within one year.

Half human, half animal

Many monstrums resemble half-human, half-animal. This is due to development not being completed properly during the embryonic stage. A well-known example is the condition harlequin ichthyosis: half human, half snake. It is a skin disorder in which the skin is red and has a diamond shape. The hardened skin contracts and flattens protrusions such as the ears and nose. In earlier times, these babies died quite quickly after birth: nowadays, with sufficient medical care, the baby can be given several years of life. The baby is very limited in its movements because skin folds are pulled very tight.

Another abnormality is the werewolf syndrome: Hypertrichosis. This involves serious excess hair growth. in some cases the entire face is covered with hair. Unlike other monsters, hypertrichosis is not fatal. Elephantiasis involves thickened and swollen skin.