Mother of Sion conjoined twins says no to surgery

MUMBAI: The mother of the two-week-old conjoined twins, who were born with a common heart at Sion hospital, said she did not want a surgery to separate the babies

MUMBAI: The mother of the two-week-old conjoined twins, who were born with a common heart at Sion hospital, said she did not want a surgery to separate the babies on Sunday. The babies, born at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (LTMGH), Sion, on July 27, have a common heart, lungs, urinary bladder and genitals.

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Doctors at the hospital said the 26-year-old mother of the twins decided that a separation surgery should not be performed as is does not have a definitive outcome.

The surgery, according to doctors, is very complicated and the chance of even one baby surviving is low. MUMBAI: The mother of the two-week old conjoined twins who were born with a common heart at a municipal hospital said she did not want a surgery to separate the babies on Sunday. The babies, born at the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital (LTMGH), Sion, on July 27, have a common heart, lungs, urinary bladder and genitals.

The babies have a pair of legs and three hands, with one common hand fused together.

Doctors at the hospital said the 26-year-old mother of the twins decided that a separation surgery should not be performed as it does not have a definitive outcome. The surgery, according to doctors, is very complicated and the chance of even one child surviving is low. “The mother took the decision and said that God made them that way. Moreover, there is no guarantee that even one of them would survive after the surgery,” said Dr Suleman Merchant, dean.

Dr Merchant said the babies are doing well, however, one of them has been receiving inadequate oxygen, which could lead to major health problems in the future.

The hospital offered to take care of the twins, however, the mother who has two other children said she will take them home. Dr YS Nandanwar, head of gynaecology department, LTMGH, said it was not possible for the mother to abort the twins as an ultrasound, which revealed the abnormality of the foetuses, was done at 32 weeks of pregnancy, when a medical termination of pregnancy was not possible. “No ethical decision can be taken without the mother’s permission. We have to respect her decision,” he said.

The doctors have given the mother oxygen cylinders for the babies and have recommended that they should consult a cardiovascular surgeon, Dr Suresh Rao, at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. “The mother has agreed to that, however, she said she will consult him later,” said Dr Merchant.“The babies are still in the ward. Only one of the babies is receiving inadequate oxygen,” said Dr Paras Kothari, head of paediatric surgery at Sion hospital.