Baby Born with 14 Fingers and 12 Toes: Family Thrilled and Here’s Why

Indian child born with propagandistic polydipsia
Called the Second Coming of Dolagar Devi

Polydactyly file photo / Fotopoema de Gabriela-Shutterstock.com

A baby was born in India with 14 fingers and 12 toes.

The UK’s Daily Mail recently reported that a baby suffering from congenital polydactyly was born in India and is being celebrated locally.

According to the report, the baby was born on the 16th of last month with 7 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot. Medical professionals speculate that the child’s polydactyly is due to a genetic abnormality. Fortunately, aside from this, the child’s health has been confirmed to be okay.

Polydactyly refers to more than 6 fingers or toes on one side. In Korea, it is often referred to as ‘hexadactyly.’ It’s a more common condition than one might think, appearing in about 10 out of every 100,000 white and black people.

The treatment is simple. It is primarily corrected through surgery, which could involve simple amputation or reconstructive procedures. As polydactyly can be identified immediately after birth, surgery is usually performed during infancy. Most grow up without significant side effects after surgery.

This child’s polydactyly has become a topic of discussion due to the parents’ reaction. Many parents tend to be upset as polydactyly is a congenital disease.

However, the parents of this child were overjoyed, calling it the ‘reincarnation of Durga Devi.’ Durga Devi is a deity worshipped in a temple in the region where the child was born, often depicted as a girl with multiple arms.

The child’s uncle expressed, “We believe this child is the reincarnation of Durga Devi in human form,” and added, “We hope the child grows up healthy. We are pleased about the birth of our niece.”