20-Year-Old South African Lady Gives Birth To Baby Girl With Rare Genetic Condition Known As Progeria (Photos)
A 20-year-old South African woman has given birth to a baby with an extremely rare genetic condition called progeria – a progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, starting in their first two years of life.
Progeria, also known as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) caused by mutations that weaken the structure of the cell nucleus, making normal cell division difficult.
Patients born with progeria typically live to an age of mid-teens to early twenties.
The baby girl’s condition has left the family of the young mother as well as community members in shock.
The child was born at home two months ago but is currently in the hospital with her mother, Sabcnews reports.
Local mid-wives including her grandmother noticed that the newborn girl exhibited signs that were different from most babies as her hands are deformed and her skin was wrinkled like an aging person.
Speaking about the state of the child, thr grandmother expressed;
When she was in labour we called an ambulance but it took long to come. So she gave birth here at home. But the delivery got complicated and we hired a van to take her to hospital. We were told there that she’s disabled. I noticed during her birth that there was something strange with her. She did not cry and she was breathing through the ribs. I was shocked because that was strange. Now I hear that people are calling her names. That hurts a lot. If I had means, I would put all of them in jail.
Since the birth, photos of the baby have been circulating on social media. Some users likened her to an ape, causing outrage and anger among those who sympathize with her.
Meanwhile, Director of children’s rights organisation, Khula Community Development Project, Petros Majola, believes communities need to be educated about this condition.
Majola expressed;
Communities must know that the mother did not apply for her baby to be like this. In a woman’s womb, there is no construction or factory that builds babies. People need to embrace this child for who she is.
Medical experts say the genetic condition occurs randomly and is not inherited. Doctor Martha Mayer, a neonatologist at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital says the syndrome is very rare.
Doctor Mayer stressed;
Progeria is a genetic condition that makes the baby age faster. Another thing is that these children also develop heart diseases and their life span is very short. We have never had a child with that condition in this hospital. It is very rare, maybe it happens to one in four or eight million people.
Progeria affects about 1 in 20 million people around the world and there is no known cure.
Ontlametse Phalatse, who captured the hearts of many South Africans for her brave battle with progeria, died at 18 in 2017.
See more photos of mother and child below;
