An Indian woman has given birth to conjoined twins naturally without any medical help, leaving medial professionals astounded as siamese twins are usually delivered by caesarian.
Shalu Pawar, 25, who is from a poor family, gave birth to the conjoined twins at her home in Panvel, Raigad District on Monday. Her husband, Arun Pawar is a driver, and she could not afford to give birth at a hospital.
The girls, who are joined at the abdomen and torsos, have been admitted to BJ Wadia Hospital in Parel for separation. The surgery is scheduled to take place on Friday by a team of doctors led by Dr Pradnya Bhendre.
The hospital authorities have come forward to do the complicated surgery without any charge. They will also provide further treatment for the twins after the surgery.
Doctors said that they could not evaluate the anatomy of the twins despite several tests. They will come to know only during the surgery if they share internal organs, blood vessels and nerves.
"We can only see that they have a single opening for passing stools and for passing urine," The Times of India quoted Dr Yeshwant Amdekar, medical director of BJ Wadia Hospital, as saying.
"Where one baby's lower limbs should have been, the other baby's torso starts. They have all their limbs, but two legs protrude from each waist. Separating them will be a task," added a senior doctor.
The doctors are not sure if both the babies will survive after the separation despite each of them having a separate heart and spinal cord.
