Minnesota mother gives birth to conjoined twins; one survives

It was a tough decision for Minnesota resident Amber McCullough as the doctors had informed her that the situation was critical. The mother of conjoined twins knew before delivering the girls that only one would survive. She delivered twins at the Children's Hospital of Colorado.

The doctors performed 5-hour surgery to separate the girls. One child, named Olivia, could not survive. The second child, named Hannah is still in critical condition. The doctors said that her condition is stable at the moment. The girls were joined through their abdomen.

Conjoined twins are rare. As per the statistics for United States, one out of every 50,000 births is of conjoined twins. In most of the cases, surgery is required and both the twins survive. 10 percent of the cases have fused at the lower abdomen, termed as Omphalopagus.

In a statement released by the hospital, mother McCullough said, “I believe in the power of prayer and the talent of medical professionals here.”

Earlier, McCullough wrote on her Facebook page about her plan to separate the twins. She wanted to give Hannah a chance to live. She was informed by the doctors that it would be painful and long recovery. She had shared her ultrasounds on the social network. She was aware that only one of the girls would survive.

McCullough’s Facebook post said, "I am determined not only to do all we can to keep her alive but also to ensure she is happy and as comfortable as possible. That being said, naturally there will be some uncomfortable parts of this journey in which case we will also lean on the doctors to manage her pain."

Surgery to separate conjoined twins may range from very easy to very hard, depending on the point of attachment and the internal parts that are shared. Most cases of separation are extremely risky and life-threatening. In many cases, the surgery results in the death of one or both of the twins, particularly if they are joined at the head or share a vital organ.

The number of cases of conjoined twins is slightly higher in the Southeast Asia, Africa and Brazil.