phocomelia
/ˌfoʊkoʊˈmiːliə/
noun
- A rare birth defect in which a baby is born with missing or very short arms and legs, often with the hands and feet attached directly to the body.
- Phocomelia was linked to the use of the drug thalidomide during pregnancy.
- Doctors diagnosed the infant with phocomelia after noticing the shortened limbs.
- Advances in prosthetics have helped people born with phocomelia lead active lives.