Conjoined twins resembling a 2-headed baby were born to a mother in India last week. Doctors say the twins have an unlikely chance of survival because they share the same internal organs and limbs.
The 28-year-old mother, Urmila Sharma, reportedly had no idea she was carrying conjoined twins until two weeks before she gave birth, as she was unable to afford ultrasounds earlier in her pregnancy,
the New York Daily News reported.
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Physician Dr. Ashish Sehgal described the conjoined twins as "presently alive and healthy," in a phone interview with the Daily News last week. However, he added that because they share one body and all their vital organs, separation is not a viable option at this point. Each baby does, however, have its own neck and spine.
The twins, weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces at birth, were delivered via Caesarean section and are currently in intensive care where it has been "a real tough challenge" keeping them alive, Sehgal added.
According to Sehgal, once the babies are in stable condition, doctors will attempt to separate them.
"The parents are very distressed and we are helping the family the best we can," Doctor Shikha Malik, who delivered the babies,
told Britain's Daily Mail.
Prior to having conjoined twins, the mother gave birth to two healthy babies,
according to VancouverDesi.com.
Citing data from the University of Maryland Medical Center, the VancouverDesi.com reported that one in 200,000 live births result in conjoined twins that have a survival rate of 5 to 25 percent.
Approximately 70 percent of all conjoined twins are female, with girls three times more likely to be born alive than boys.
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