Conjoined triplets? That is the question that everyone has been asking ever since the publication of the first-ever documented baby to be born with two heads, two spines, three arms, two hearts, yet only one torso. Local Indian woman, Shaheen Khan, gave birth to a stunning newborn in India’s Ratlam District Hospital on Wednesday, March 30, 2022: The medical terminology for this specific and rare condition has been recently identified as Dicephalic Parapagus, which is only determined when the child has multiple heads connected to just one torso.
Dicephalic Parapagus is normally considered to be a fatal physical disorder, making the Khan family very lucky to still have their precious newborn. Since the birth, Doctors have managed to conclude that Shaheen was unknowingly carrying two separate children in her womb before they unexpectedly conjoined at some point near the time of delivery. “These kinds of cases are rare, and the condition of babies remains uncertain, especially in the initial days,” Dr. Lahoti of Ratlam District Hospital stated. “Due to this, we have kept them under observation.”
According to a recent study, conjoined twins currently hold approximately 11-13% of twin births. About 40% make it past the point of delivery and 35% of those who survive normally die within the first 24 hours. Hopefully, for this family, their unique child will persevere through the upcoming surgeries and join the remaining 60% of successful conjoined twin operations.