E. Nusa Tenggara conjoined twins die hours after birth
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara | Fri, 02/03/2012 7:21 PM
Only hours after they were born at WZ Yohanes General Hospital in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, a pair of conjoined twins (also known as Siamese twins) passed away.
When delivered on Thursday afternoon, the twins had two heads, one body, two legs and three arms, with one of the arms attached to the neck.
Hospital director Alphonsius Anapaku said on Friday that the mother gave birth to the twins normally the day before.
“The mother delivered the twins in a normal delivery, without any operation needed. But the Sabu Island Siamese twins managed to survive for only several hours before passing away,” he said.
“Siamese Twins form because the embryo fails to split perfectly, so they are trapped in one body.”
The mother, Tabita Wake Lulu, 52, said the delivery was her ninth.
“I had felt pain in my stomach since three weeks ago. My family brought me to Kupang because I could not deliver the baby in Sabu,” she said.
“I gave birth [to the twins] in a normal delivery, but both of my children died,” said Tabita, who was accompanied by her husband, Thomas Wake Lulu. (mtq)
