‘I was born without an umbilical cord’: Does Zahara have a belly button?

South African singer Bulelwa Mkutukana, popularly known by her stage name Zahara revealed that she was born without an umbilical cord on an episode of Podcast and Chill with MacG which was shared to Twitter on 30 October. 

ZAHARA: ‘I WAS BORN WITHOUT AN UMBILICAL CORD’

Zahara sat down with controversial podcaster MacG on an episode of Podcast and Chill which aired on Channel O on 1 September. At the time the talking point from the interview was her beef with DJ Sbu. Therefore, the revelation of her rare birth was overlooked. 

On the episode Zahara revealed that she was born without an umbilical cord. 

“I was born mina (me) without any umbilical cord. I was born in a sac, yes you can Google it. (There are) children born in a sac. There are those born with an umbilical cord but there are those born without an umbilical cord. In the world we are only 40,000, Google it,” she said. 

“I asked my mother what was I eating? She said she doesn’t know. (I) drank water in the sac that was holding me. Because I was in water, but I wasn’t drowning. How is that possible?” she continued.

After a short clip from the interview resurfaced on Twitter, Tweeps were scratching their heads trying to figure out if this was possible. 

Doc @Tshi_Nakanyane please remind me what this rare “condition” is?

I probably bunked this O&G lecture to watch Makhaya Ntini pic.twitter.com/iRZfKDMdEB

— Dr Lerato • Keynote Speaker (@dr_lovelee) October 30, 2021

ALSO READ: ‘Jailbird singer?’: Court issues warrant of arrest for Zahara

ZAHARA HAD AN EN CAUL BIRTH 

The umbilical cord connects the developing baby to the placenta. It has three blood vessels — A vein that carries food and oxygen to the baby and two arteries that carry waste from your baby back to your placenta. Therefore, the umbilical cord is a crucial part of the baby’s development. This why Tweeps were sceptical about Zahara’s revelation.

The medical term for a baby born in a sac is en caul birth. This occurs when the baby comes out still inside an intact amniotic sac. Therefore Zahara was correct when she said that it contains mainly water. This is why the doctors were scared to open the sac as they did not know how she was breathing. The Destiny hitmaker remained in the sac after she was born and only opened it herself three days afterwards. 

TWEEPS: ‘DOES THAT MEAN SHE DOESN’T HAVE A BELLY BUTTON?’

After the clip was shared Tweeps were wondering if this means Zahara does not have a belly button. 

Since Zahara was born without an umbilical chord, does that mean she doesn’t have a belly button #PodcastandChillwithMacG

— DESIGNED BY TSHEPO PHALA (@OceansTshepo) September 2, 2021

Lol Zahara…..does her belly button showing??? If not she might have what is called gastroschisis at birth this doesn't mean the umblical chord wasn't there….

— Alec (@shabaduz) October 30, 2021

The medical term for babies born without an umbilical cord is omphalocele — a birth defect of the abdominal (belly) wall. Similar to the sac, the organs are covered in a thin, transparent sac which is hardly ever open or broken.

The baby’s organs stick outside of the belly through the belly button. 

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE

ALSO READ: Zahara releases her heartfelt seventh studio album ‘Nqaba Yam’ [listen]