Miracle twins born with two heads, four arms and two legs 'perfectly healthy'

Guddo Devi, 25, gave birth to them at a hospital in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Mrs Devi and her husband Dalvir Singh, 27, a labourer, were too poor to have an ultrasound check during the pregnancy.

Dalvir said: "She never complained of any problem throughout her pregnancy. We were excited for the arrival of our first child but when I saw the babies, I could not believe my eyes.

"I had only heard of such births but never imagined I would have conjoined twins. My family is heartbroken but we have faith in God. Once the babies are discharged, I will take them to bigger hospital and consult specialists for their separation."

Dr Ruchi Gupta, who delivered the babies, said: "This was the first such case in our hospital and we all were shocked to witness the birth of the child. We only learnt that the mother was carrying a conjoined twin at the last moment.

"The babies are perfectly healthy and so we did not keep them at intensive care unit and rather handed them to their mother. But we cannot tell how long they will survive as conjoined twins have a short-life span."

Around 1 in 189,000 births are conjoined twins, although it is slightly more common in parts of Asia, Africa and Brazil.

About half of conjoined twins are stillborn and most do not live into adulthood.

The world's oldest living conjoined twins are Ronnie and Donnie Galyon, 64, who live in Ohio.

Earlier this year the Daily Star online reported on conjoined twins who had been born in Indonesia and were connected at the head. They are believed to be still alive.

But a set of conjoined twins born with one heart in February were given only months to live.

(dailystar.co.uk)