Babies born without arms: Three possible new cases

Another potential cluster of babies born without arms is being investigated, according to reports.

Three girls were born without arms between June and November 2016 within a 30km radius of Vitrolles, Bouches-du-Rhône, Le Parisien said.

Data concerning the latest cases, which follow apparently similar clusters in the Ain, Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique, has been forwarded to Santé Publique France.

The defect is known medically as transverse upper limb agenesis (agénésies transverses du membre supérieur (ATMS) in French), meaning a failure of an organ to develop during embryonic growth.

As reported in December, an eighth baby was born with the defect in a 17km area of the Ain.

The incidence of these malformations is estimated in France at 1.7 cases per 10,000 births, or about 150 cases per year - and experts are baffled by the clusters.