Baby born with brain outside its head dies in South Africa
Warning, the graphic image below may be disturbing to some readers
istockphoto
A doctor on duty when the baby died said Monday that Sibusiso Mokoena's condition, known as anencephaly, was the cause of his death. Dr. Ntumda Mutondo told The Associated Press that she performed CPR on the infant, but couldn't revive him. Mutondo said the infant died Wednesday.
Sibusiso, known in South Africa as Baby Mokoena, was born on July 4.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anencephaly typically occurs during a woman's first month of pregnancy, often before she knows she's she pregnant.
Doctors say some of the main causes of the condition are vitamin and folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy. In the U.S., Hispanic mothers are at an increased risk for having a child with anencephaly for reasons unknown.
About 1 in every 4,859 U.S. babies is born with the condition. Unfortunately, almost all babies born with anencephaly will die shortly after birth.
WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE. This photo taken Thursday July 19, 2012, shows baby Mokoena born earlier in July with his brain outside his head (anencephaly), being cared for at a hospital in Kroonstad, South Africa. Doctors announced the baby's death on Monday.
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5 Comments Add a Comment
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- I am amazed that anyone would have the incredible hubris and inhumanity to judge what should have happened in such a case; to begin to judge what people should do. All that I can do is pray for everyone, this must have been an incredibly painful loss; I am certain you miss this lovely child and what could have been. Bless you all.
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- Prayer =/= doing something useful.
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- I couldn't look at the pictures. Poor little thing.
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- Why did anyone perform CPR on this infant when the baby had absolutely no chance of surviving? It was just plain cruel for both the infant and family.
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- This is a case where the baby should have been aborted and not been born and have to suffer for 3 weeks. It also is a case for humane euthanasia where there is no hope for survival. I can't imagine the parents' pain and frustration at having to watch their child slowly die. We treat pets more humanely.
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