An article from the IFLS reports that an Iraqi baby was born with three separate penises. In scientific terms, it is called Triphallia (triple penis).This is the first known case in the world.
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A world first
The information is based on a study by Iraqi scientists Shakir Saleem Jabali and Ayad Ahmad Mohammed published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports. It was the parents who alerted the doctors 3 months after the baby was born. They had observed a swelling of the scrotum, the pocket located under the penis that supports the testicles. It contained two supernumerary penises attached to the original penis. One measured 2cm, and the other 1cm. The baby was operated without incident by a specialist.
Cases of 'double penis' already detected
As the study explains, supernumerary penises are an extremely rare congenital urogenital anomaly. Because yes, it is not the first time that a human was born with an 'additional' penis, far from it.
While this Iraqi baby is currently the world's first human with Triphallia, Diphallia (double penises) have been identified throughout history. The first dates back to 1609 and was reported by Wecker. This anomaly amounts to as little as one in 5 to 6 million births.
The child with Triphallia had no history in his family, nor suffered any exposure to a drug during gestation, which is one of the explanations for these abnormalities. A year later, follow-up showed that the baby had no adverse effects.
