Three babies were born with deformed hands between June and September in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, which is a rather unusual occurrence. According to the clinic, no such case had been recorded in years. More than 800 babies were born in the clinic in 2018.
Ministry of Health takes the matter seriously
Due to the lack of communication between clinics, it is unclear how many cases have occurred overall, according to Sonja Ligget-Igelmund, who works as a midwife in Germany.
The Ministry of Health in North Rhine-Westphalia says it intends to gain further insight into the matter by looking into whether there have been similar cases in other clinics. The issue is being treated with utmost attention, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry.
Experts to look into data
Causes may be of genetic nature or due to issues with the umbilical cord, says Claudia Roll, chief physician at the children’s hospital in Datteln, where a similar case was recorded in the summer. It is also possible that the issue stems from viral or environmental toxins. According to Roll, this can only be clarified once relevant data has been collected.
The clinic in Gelsenkirchen has been unable to identify a pattern connecting the three cases in question. There are no ethnic, cultural or social commonalities between the concerned families, according to a spokesperson for the clinic. However, all three families live in the same area. The clinic has since contacted specialists from the Berliner Charité, one of Europe’s largest university hospitals.
Dozens of similar cases in France
An increasing number of congenital deformities has been recorded in France, where at least 25 babies were born with no hands, fingers or arms. Interestingly, all mothers come from areas close to sunflower fields.
