After nine months of anticipation, Australia’s Cristina Vercher and husband Blaize Mucha were thrilled to finally meet their baby girl, who was making her grand entrance into the world on December 30, 2021.
But, during the C-section birth, doctors delivered some shocking news to the new parents.
Ayla Summer Mucha had developed bilateral macrostomia, which means the baby’s mouth had not properly formed.
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The deformity, classified as a facial cleft, is a rare condition where the corners of the mouth don’t fuse together during pregnancy.
In fact, the malformation is so rare that according to National Library of Medicine, only 14 cases have been reported in medical literature.
All around shock
Ayla’s large mouth opening was a complete surprise to her parents, whose ultrasound scans had not picked up any abnormalities.
The new mom, now 23, explains her and Blaize, 22, “were instantly worried” when they saw Ayla for the first time, as the condition was “obvious” since she “was so tiny.”