Meromelia is a birth defect characterized by the lacking of a part, but not all, of one or more limbs with the presence of a hand or foot. It results in a shrunken and deformed extremity.
Cause Such defects are mainly the results of genetic disorders, but some teratogenic (or environmental) factors have been identified, such as the use of thalidomide from 1957 to 1962 for morning sickness (NVP).
Diagnosis Meromelia is a birth defect characterized by lacking part of at least one free limb.
Epidemiology Approximately 0.000014% of live births result in meromelia.
Etymology The word meromelia comes from the Greek meros 'part, partial' + melia 'limb'.
See also Amelia (birth defect) Phocomelia Polymelia Amniotic band syndrome
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