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Living with Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia

A rare genetic bone condition in which bones form poorly before birth because an enzyme is low.

Understanding Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia

Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia is a rare genetic form of hypophosphatasia (HPP) in which bones form very poorly before birth.

Bones don't harden (mineralize) as they should while the baby grows before birth. This is because the activity of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the blood is low. Signs are noticed during pregnancy and in newborns.

Signs & symptoms

GARD doesn't list specific symptoms for this condition yet.

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include bone and joint specialists and genetic specialists.

  3. Consider genetic testing

    Changes in ALPL are linked to this condition. Genetic testing and counseling can help confirm a diagnosis and explain what it means for your family.

Care & treatment

Care team
Bone and joint specialists (orthopedists or orthopedic surgeons); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Would ALPL gene testing confirm the diagnosis?
What does the chance of this happening again look like for our family?
Which specialists should be on our care team?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startduring Pregnancy and as a Newborn
InheritanceAutosomal Recessive
GenesALPL

Changes in the ALPL gene cause this condition. It is autosomal recessive, which means a child inherits a changed copy of the gene from each parent.

Genetic

Also known as: hppn; perinatal lethal phosphoethanolaminuria; perinatal lethal rathbun disease; perinatal lethal rathburn disease

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasiaGARD ID 17191 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia.

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Explore research for Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia

Explore actively recruiting Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
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  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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