A Mother Had No Idea She Was Carrying Conjoined Twins, Despite Thorough Check-ups During Her Pregnancy Including Ultrasounds

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AN Indian mother has given birth to conjoined twins who share nearly every organ and have a slim chance of survival.

The twins a boy and a girl have two sets of hands but share a pair of legs.

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They are fused from the waist and only one genital is visible which is of a girl.

Even though the second genital is missing, doctors suspect the face of the second baby is a boy, which makes this case even more rare as conjoined twins are usually of the same gender.

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Their mother, Shivrajo Devi, 24, gave birth at a private clinic in a village in Buxar, eastern India, on Wednesday evening.

The mother said she was left 'heartbroken and had hopes that doctors can save their lives'

However their condition soon began to deteriorate and they were moved to Sadar Hospital in the city where medics gave them preliminary treatment in neo-natal intensive care unit.

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Once their condition stabilised, doctors sent the twins to a bigger hospital three hours away.

However, their devastated parents have been told any further treatment will have to take place in Delhi.

Unable to afford travel or the high cost of medical treatment, the couple say they have been forced to simply take the babies home.

The twins' father Chhota Singh, 30, a factory worker who makes £60 a month.

Their father said: 'I made sure to give my wife regular check-ups during pregnancy. We were excited to welcome twins but all our excitement has vanished.'

Dr Raj Kumar Gupta, a paediatrician at Sadar Hospital, said: 'They are miraculous babies and very beautiful but as the chances of survival of such twins are always slim, we cannot say about their longevity either.'