An American couple who rejected pressure from medics to abort their conjoined twins have spoken of their delight in the decision they made.
Doctors did not believe Callie and Carter Torres would survive past the eleventh week of pregnancy, but they were born by caesarean section at 37 weeks.
Mum Chelsea spoke to the Daily Mail after she and her husband Nick chose life for the twins and they are “very excited” that they have the girls.
‘Amazing’
Callie and Carter are omphalo-ischiopagus twins, which means they have two legs, one pelvis, and two separate torsos that face each other.
Chelsea said their arrival has meant an “extreme adjustment”, with steps being taken to make things accessible.
But she emphasised that she was “so happy” she did not abort and that their girls, who doctors say are healthy, “are amazing”.
Resisted pressure
In 2014, Australian parents who resisted pressure to abort their conjoined twins have spoken of their love for their children, after doctors managed to successfully deliver the babies earlier this month.
Faith and Hope Howie were born with two faces and two brains but sharing a heart and other organs. The parents had previously described how doctors told them that they should abort their children, because the public would consider the babies ‘freakish’. But they said no – based on moral reasons.
Faith and Hope passed away after 19 days on 27 May, 2014.
At their memorial service, their uncle Paul said: “They were born into a life of love no matter how long they lived.”