Lethal congenital contracture syndrome…

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Lethal congenital contracture syndrome type 1

ORPHA:1486Malformation syndrome

Also called Herva disease · LCCS1 · Multiple contracture syndrome, Finnish type

What it is

Lethal congenital contracture syndrome type 1 is a rare, genetic arthrogryposis syndrome characterized by total fetal akinesia (detectable since the 13th week of gestation) accompanied by hydrops, micrognathia, pulmonary hypoplasia, pterygia and multiple joint contractures (usually flexion contractures in the elbows and extension in the knees), leading invariably to death before the 32nd week of gestation. Lack of anterior horn motoneurons, severe atrophy of the ventral spinal cord and severe skeletal muscle hypoplasia are characteristic neuropathological findings, with no evidence of other organ structural anomalies.

Key facts

Prevalence
<1 / 1 000 000 (Finland)
Age of onset
Antenatal, Neonatal
Inheritance
Autosomal recessive
Classified as
Malformation syndrome

Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.

Signs and symptoms

These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.

Gene

GLE1Disease-causing germline mutation(s)

ICD-10 codes

Q68.8filed under a broader ICD-10 category — shared with 29 other rare diseases

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Cross-references

GARD 3227MESH C537194MONDO 0009670OMIM 253310UMLS C1854664

Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.

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