A baby born in India with two heads, three arms, and two hearts has left doctors in awe. Shaheen Khan and her husband Sohail were expecting the arrival of two fully formed twins, but their surprise escalated when Shaheen gave birth to what seemed to be a baby with two heads on March 28 in Ratlam, within the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
This condition is known as dicephalic parapagus, where two infants are joined by a single torso, often resulting in stillbirth. Against the odds, these conjoined twins have survived and are currently being monitored by doctors in a hospital in the nearby city of Indore.
Shaheen continues to stay at the district hospital in Ratlam.
The conjoined siblings, born on March 28 in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, also display three arms and two hearts.
The prevalence of conjoined twins is estimated to be between one in 50,000 to 100,000 births, with around 11 percent falling under the category of dicephalic parapagus twins, as per a historical review in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.
The occurrence of conjoined twins happens when a fertilized egg initiates splitting into two embryos a few weeks after conception, though the process halts before completion.
The success of separation surgery depends on the point of connection between the twins. Doctors can only determine which organs the siblings share, allowing them to plan any necessary surgical procedures after their birth.
Dr. Lahoti, one of the attending physicians, mentioned, “Cases like these are rare, and the condition of the babies remains uncertain, especially in the initial days. Due to this, we have kept them under observation. We have not scheduled any surgery for the patient.”
In a recent case, an Indian woman gave birth to a baby with three heads, causing a commotion within the entire family. After the news spread, many villagers revered the infant as a divine incarnation and sought blessings by gathering at the family’s residence.
According to the information provided, a woman named Ragini in Uttar Pradesh had a completely normal pregnancy, with no detected abnormalities during maternity examinations. However, on the day of delivery, she surprised everyone by giving birth to a child with three heads.
In comparison to having three children, both the mother and child are reported to be in good health, residing safely in Uttar Pradesh.
A quick glance at a photo reveals a baby with a typical body and limbs, but with two additional small heads behind the main one. Despite the additional weight of the heads, the baby seems unaffected, showing no signs of pain or discomfort when the extra heads are pressed.
Upon hearing the news of the three-headed baby, locals regarded the child as a manifestation of a deity, flocking to the family’s home to seek blessings. The mother expressed irritation at the growing crowd.
Earlier this year, in April, another woman in the state of Odisha, India, gave birth to a baby girl with two heads and three arms – two fully developed heads capable of independent eating and breathing.