Last Wednesday night, Ms. Shivrajo Devi, 24, gave birth to conjoined twins at a private hospital in Buxar, Bihar, eastern India. The twins, a boy and a girl, were born with their abdomens conjoined, sharing almost all significant body organs, including their genitals and legs.
Dr. Ravi, who attended the birth, explained, “These conjoined twins share most of their body organs. Each has their own hands but are joined together from the waist, sharing one pair of legs and one set of genitals.” Due to their critical health condition, the twins were transferred to Sadar Hospital, a facility specialized in neonatal care.
Dr. Raj Kumar Gupta, in charge of pediatrics at Sadar Hospital, described the situation: “The twins’ bodies are joined from the waist down and share one female genital organ. Despite not seeing a second genital area, we suspect from the appearance of the remaining baby’s face that this might be a boy and a girl. If so, this case is even rarer than conjoined twins of the same sex.”
Ms. Shivrajo expressed her distress, saying, “They told us that the two children needed to be treated in a glass cage. Above all, we should take the two children to a big city like Delhi for treatment.” However, due to financial constraints, the parents could not afford the high treatment costs and had to take the twins home, despite doctors advising that the chances of survival would be very slim without specialized care in Delhi.
The parents were devastated by the news. Ms. Shivrajo recounted, “I can’t believe that my two children are conjoined… I’m so hurt. All I can do now is hope the doctors can save their lives, but they moved them away. I don’t know what will happen to the two babies.” Chhota Singh, the twins’ father, shared his sadness: “I made sure to take my wife for regular prenatal checkups. We were very excited to welcome the twins, but all that excitement has disappeared without a trace.”
Conjoined twins, especially those with such complex conditions, require meticulous medical care and treatment. The prognosis for a long life is uncertain, and the challenges they face are immense. The family’s plight highlights the need for accessible and affordable medical care for such rare and serious conditions.
