Environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor has enumerated a disturbing trend of birth defects in babies born near mining communities in Ghana.

According to him, findings by experts have revealed a connection between heavy metal contamination and severe developmental abnormalities.

Mr Donkor stated that a Professor had some jars containing the bodies of deformed babies, some with extra limbs and digits, malformed heads, and the absence of genitalia.

He said this on Newsfile on Saturday, September 7.

The environmental journalist told show host Samson Anyenini that, tests on the placenta of these infants found high levels of cyanide, arsenic, and mercury - toxic heavy metals that can have devastating effects on fetal development.

"The one that I showed in my documentary has a malformed head. It doesn't have any genitals at all. So you don't know whether it's a baby. It's a baby boy or girl, and they found high levels of cyanide, arsenic and mercury in the placenta," Mr Donkor revealed.

The affected babies were found in areas known for their artisanal gold mining activities.

"The pollution of the water sources there alone will confirm that indeed the women who died with their babies got into contact or got exposed to these heavy metals through the food chain," Mr Donkor said.

Mr Donkor, who has visited these communities, attributes the birth defects to the pollution of water sources and the inhalation of vaporised heavy metals released during the gold smelting process.

The journalist also highlighted the proliferation of illegal mining in rural areas, which release toxic vapors that can bioaccumulate in the human body through passive inhalation.

"Smoking, passive smoke, or passive inhalation from these vaporised gasses bio accumulates in your system, and it gives you a lot of problems," he added.