How many conjoined twins are born every year

What are conjoined twins? Usually, the connection is more complex. In some cases, children may share: Vital organs, like 1 heart Many structures, like several parts of the digestive , genital and urinary systems A large portion of the body, like all of the lower body Part of the brain and skull What causes conjoined twins?

There are 2 ideas about what causes conjoined twinning: The egg divides late and does not divide all the way. The egg divides but then joins back together. Compassionate care, starting with diagnosis Usually, parents find that their twins are conjoined when the mother has an ultrasound during pregnancy. Our Prenatal Diagnosis and Treatment team will do a detailed evaluation.

We provide information and compassionate support to guide you in finding the care that is right for your family. Our transport team of physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists are national leaders in safely moving fragile newborns.

We are skilled and equipped to care for the sickest newborns. Each set of conjoined twins is unique. Other specialists as needed will care for your child. These may include cardiologists, lung specialists, anesthesiologists, urologists, orthopedic surgeons, plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, cardiac surgeons, physical therapists, occupational therapists and nutritionists. Even so, surgery is not always the best choice. We work with you to decide on the best treatment for your babies. Whether your twins are separated or remain joined, we provide complete care through childhood and into the early adult years.

We have all the experts your family needs. We know how challenging and scary it can be to find a medical problem during pregnancy.

Your family has a full team behind you, including doctors, nurses, lactation specialists and social workers. We help you fully understand your treatment options and make the choices that are right for your family. We connect you to community resources and support groups. We can help with financial counseling, schooling for other children in the family, housing, transportation, interpreter services and spiritual care.

Learn about our services for patients and families. Conjoined Twins Symptoms Conjoined twins may be connected to each other in many different ways. Their health and any symptoms depend on: How each baby developed. Which structures they share. How well their organs work. Their lung development. Conjoined twins are usually born early and may have breathing problems.

Doctors group conjoined twins into the following categories based on where they are joined. Diagnosing Conjoined Twins During pregnancy In most cases, doctors see that twins are conjoined during a routine ultrasound late in the first trimester of pregnancy or in the second trimester. Creating a treatment plan Treatment for each set of twins is unique. Both children may have all the organs and other structures they need.

They may share some structures or vital organs, like a heart. It may not be possible to separate the twins in all cases. Their bodies may be able to support both their lives, or it may be hard for 1 or both to survive because of health problems.

Surgery may be the best option: For the physical health of both children, while also giving them the chance to have independent bodies and lives Because 1 twin cannot survive because of a severe birth defect and separation is the only way to give the other twin a chance to live Usually, twins have separation surgery in the first 3 months to 12 months of life.

Any procedures your babies may need to prepare them for separation. This makes it easier for doctors to do the surgery and easier for the twins to withstand the surgery. Related Programs. Related Links. Approximately 75 percent of conjoined twins are joined at least partially in the chest and share organs with one another.

If they have separate sets of organs, chances for surgery and survival are greater than if they share the same organs. As a rule, shared heart conjoined twins cannot be separated.

Doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have separated 25 sets of conjoined twins and have managed the care of many others whose separation was not surgically possible. Conjoined twins shown on 3D ultrasound Conjoined twins are typically diagnosed early in pregnancy with prenatal ultrasound. The optimal evaluation period for additional prenatal testing is after 18 weeks' gestation. A thorough prenatal evaluation is particularly important for conjoined twins, as the location and extent of where the twins are joined and what organs are shared plays a crucial role in deciding whether the twins will be separable.

Expectant mothers visiting the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at CHOP will undergo a full day of advanced imaging to collect a detailed picture of the shared organs and any associated anomalies. Prenatal diagnosis will help identify the optimal treatment and delivery plan, and potential for separation after birth.

Indicators of conjoined twins include lack of a separating membrane between the twins, inability to separate the fetal bodies, and constant position of the fetal heads. At the end of the day, expectant parents will meet with a multidisciplinary team to discuss the results of your tests, and outline all options for prenatal management, delivery and treatment so that your family can make an informed decision about how to move forward.

After the visit, our team will also contact your referring physician to provide details about the consultation. Thoracopagus: the most common type of conjoined twin, which along with omphalopagus, represents about 75 percent of cases.

The two babies lie face to face and share a common sternum, diaphragm and upper abdominal wall. In cases of conjoined hearts at ventricular pumping chamber level, there are no known survivors. Omphalopagus: the least-complicated connection, usually considered a subgroup of thoracopagus.

The babies face one another and are joined at the anterior abdominal wall from xiphoid to umbilicus. The peritoneal cavity of one tends to be joined with the other, but upper intestinal tracts are usually separate.

In the majority of cases, a bridge of liver connects the infants. Pygopagus: represents about 20 percent of cases, joined at the buttocks and perineum, facing away from each other.

A significant length of the sacrum may be fused, and as a result, the twins often share the sacral spinal canal. A single lower rectum and anus is common, and often the lower genital tract and external genitalia are fused. Ischiopagus: represents less than 5 percent of cases, the connection occurs at a single bony pelvis.

Four normal legs may be attached, but often two of the four are fused into one malformed limb. The intestinal tracts often join and empty into a single colon. When conjoined twins are expected, the family and the health care team need to discuss in detail the possible complications and how to prepare for them. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Conjoined twins Open pop-up dialog box Close. Conjoined twins Conjoined twins may be joined at one of several places. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter.

Show references Mian A, et al. Conjoined twins: From conception to separation, a review. Clinical Anatomy. Arnold J, et al. Introduction: Unique challenges in the care of conjoined twins.

Seminars in Perinatology. Sager EC, et al. Conjoined twins: Pre-birth management, changes to NRP, and transport. Mehollin-Ray AR. Prenatal and postnatal radiologic evaluation of conjoined twins.

Thomas A, et al. An ethically-justifiable, practical approach to decision-making surrounding conjoined-twin separation. Matthew RP, et al.