Reggaeton singer Wisin, one half of musical duo Wisin & Yandel, revealed to Puerto Rico's Lo Se Todo that his newborn daughter Victoria was born with a rare, and often fatal genetic disorder — trisomy 13, also known as Patau syndrome. The 37-year-old also shared that his wife, Yomaira Ortíz, is battling depression because of the tragic situation.

"We're going through a difficult moment," Wisin, whose real name is Juan L. Morera, told Lo Se Todo. "It's things that happen."

Trisomy 13 is a rare chromosomal condition that occurs in about 1 in 16,000 newborns. It happens when part of chromosome 13 becomes attached (translocated) to another chromosome during the formation of reproductive cells (eggs and sperm), or very early in fetal development. In most cases, there are three copies of chromosome 13 in each cell in the body, instead of the usual two copies, according to the Genetics Home Reference. The extra genetic material interferes with normal development, leading to the characteristic features of trisomy 13.

 

YA EN LA BREA #bendiconesparatodos #_ #exito

A photo posted by Wisin (@wisin) on

Infants will often have intellectual disability and physical abnormalities in various parts of the body. Individuals can have heart defects, brain or spinal cord abnormalities, very small or poorly developed eyes (microphthalmia), extra fingers or toes, among other disabilities. Many infants die within their first days or weeks of life due to the presence of life-threatening problems, while only 5 to 10 percent of children with trisomy 13 live past their first year.

Despite various health complications, Wisin confirmed his daughter is in stable condition:

"As the public now knows, our daughter Victoria was born a couple of days ago. She was diagnosed with trisomy 13 and is in a stable condition. I have always respected and collaborated with the press about every my professional career. But on this occasion, our daughter's health is the most important thing for us" he released in a statement.

Infants with trisomy 13, along with Trisomy 18 — characterized by an extra chromosome 18 in some or all of the body's cells — have a very short life expectancy, but studies show their families nevertheless lead an overall happy and rewarding life. Physicians and parents can have different views of what constitutes quality of life. In other words, adopting a more positive image of the diagnosis will help families see their experience in a positive light, through various avenues, such as parental support groups.

Wisin and his family have received the support of other fellow reggaeton artists, such as Nicky Jam, who took to Instagram to share his words of encouragement:

Wisin and his wife are also the parents of 8-year-old Yelena and 7-year-old Dylan.