Conjoined Twins

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Conjoined Twins

• Alyssa Priem, Alyson Robertson, Ashley Stewart,
  Lauren Highum

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What are conjoined twins?

• Identical twins that develop with a single
  placenta from a single fertilized oocyte
• Scientists are unsure of exactly how identical
  twins fail to separate (around the 13th day) and
  therefore become conjoined twins.
• Believed to be influenced by genetic and
  environmental factors
• Are more often female than male at a ratio of 31

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Types of Conjoined Twins

• Conjoined twins are classified by how they are
  connected to one another
• Each case is different and even if 2 sets of
  twins share the same conjoined surface each set
  of conjoined twins has a unique internal
  structure

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What if ?

• You find out you (or your spouse) are pregnant
  with conjoined twins.
• Do you.
• Have an abortion?
• or
• Take the pregnancy to term?

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Abort the pregnancy

• Think of all the surgeries they will need to have
  later onprevent their pain
• They would always be made fun of
• Would never be Normal children
• Not fair to the children
• There would be extremely high medical costs after
  they were born

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When choosing to go through with the pregnancy

• Morally against abortion I dont think I could
  ever kill a child whether born or unborn, its a
  living thing and it deserves a chance too
• They are your children and you will love them no
  matter what
• They at least deserve a chance at survival and a
  happy life

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Once the twins are born

• Do you choose to separate them?
• No
• They dont have privacy, and probably would have
  a hard time finding a job
• Relationship issues
• Will you be treated as one person instead of two
• In some cases theyre healthier together
• Have to learn to get along and adjust to the
  world in their circumstance
• Some feel that they were meant to be this way
• What if one gets sick and possibly dies do you
  separate them to save the other?

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Once the Twins are born

• Do you choose to separate them?
• Yes
• Must find a doctor who is willing to operate on
  two healthy individuals potentially harming them
  further
• One could die, both could die or the operation
  could be a success
• How do you decide who gets what organs, limbs,
  etc.?
• Complications from the surgery
• Many surgeries to follow
• Could go on to lead normal lives if operation is
  successful
• They would have more privacy
• Free to have a relationships of their own

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If separated.

• One of the twins dies during or soon after
  surgery
• The living twin may feel guilt later in life
• Wake up from surgery and realize your other half
  isnt there
• other psychological issues
• Psychological problems for parents
• leaving hospital with only one child

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If separated

• Both twins could die from complications to the
  surgery
• Sometimes there is one twin that has a greater
  chance of survival
• Still, they both may die in the end
• How do you decide which one gets to live?

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If separated

• Both twins survive the separation
• Unlikely that both will be completely healthy and
  happy
• One may be fine while other has major
  complications

• Did the twins want to be separated?
• Very strong want to be together even after
  separation
• -Often hard adjusting to being two
  separate bodies
• If you go through with the separation surgery
  you must be willing to accept any of these
  possible outcomes

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