Unborn baby’s clubfoot treatment remains uncertain in Iceland

Karen Sif Sigurðardóttir has spent about 10 weeks seeking answers about treatment for her unborn son, who was diagnosed with clubfoot during a 20-week scan in late July, mbl.is reports. The only orthopaedic doctor in Iceland who has treated and followed children with the condition is due to go on leave, and no replacement has yet been identified.

Landspítali, Iceland’s national university hospital, told Morgunblaðið that another doctor who has been involved in treating these children works at a 25 per cent position. The hospital is preparing a service agreement with one of its partner hospitals in the Nordic countries to ensure continuity of care while staffing remains limited. The boy may therefore need treatment abroad.

Karen says the uncertainty and anxiety have affected her ability to enjoy her pregnancy and bond with her son. She is worried that no treatment plan will be in place when he is born in December. Her son has clubfoot in both feet, a diagnosis confirmed the day after it was first identified in the scan.

Clubfoot casting treatment should begin in the first weeks after birth, as delays can lead to reduced mobility and permanent disability. Karen says she and her husband left a specialist appointment without knowing who would take over or what would happen next. The couple also have a one-year-old child and want to know well in advance if they will need to travel abroad.

Mothers of several children with clubfoot told mbl.is that care in Iceland has been inadequate for years. About one in every 1,000 babies is born with the condition. Some families have travelled abroad for treatment, including to the United States, without a formal agreement in place. Public insurance does not automatically cover the costs, and some parents have paid more than ten million for treatment, while others have received reimbursement.