Bison

A mum-to-be is preparing to give birth to conjoined twins with two heads but one body.


Parents Lisa Chamberlain and Mike Pedace



Lisa Chamberlain, 25, has ignored doctors' advice to terminate her pregnancy and could instead make medical history if she gives birth to the dicephalus twins.

Layla and Kelsey would be the first British babies born with the rare condition that occurs in just 4% of conjoined twins worldwide.

Lisa and her fiancé Mike Pedace have been told the twins have only a 20% chance of survival.

But Lisa, from Portsmouth, told the Sun newspaper she would not consider an abortion.

"They're conjoined at the upper part of the body so they share one body and they've got two heads," she said.

"Doctors told me that I may never be able to conceive because of my polycystic ovary syndrome and I had practically given up.

"I thought, it's not going to happen now, so I've just got to accept it.

"They'd advised that I should have a termination mainly because it would save me heartache further down the line, but I've told them there's no way I'm going to have a termination and I want to go ahead with my pregnancy.

"I believe everything happens for a reason and there was a reason why God chose me to be their mum and there's absolutely no way I would consider an abortion.

"I'm very happy and proud of my twins and they deserve every chance in life."


If you are not opposed to abortion it would be correct to advise a termination because the prospects of survival are extremely bleak and the prospects for a good quality of life are even bleaker.

Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris

Lisa is encouraged by the example of dicephalus twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel who turned 18 last year.

The pair, who live in Minnesota, share all organs from the navel down but have managed to take exams and even driving tests.

It will not be clear which organs Layla and Kelsey will share until Lisa's 20 week scan.

Experts say even if the twins do survive they will suffer from a greater risk of infections and need intensive medical care.

Dr Evan Harris, a Liberal Democrat MPand member of the BMA medical ethics committee, told Sky News it is a sad situation.

"This is a personal decision for the woman concerned, advised by her family and fiancé," he said.

"If you are not opposed to abortion it would be correct to advise a termination because the prospects of survival are extremely bleak and the prospects for a good quality of life are even bleaker."

lobby lou

And im sure their decision has nothing to do with all the money they will make from the newspapers etc .........if this is not factor im sure they will be donating it all to charity ..........

admon

worse than that, it will be a right two faced bas!ard..

Kim67

Someone should've given them a copy of the cult classic Basketcase for Christmas.

Norm_uk

Having such a child is a waste of resources, time and effort.

This "mother" should be forced to pay for the complete pre-natal and post-natal care (assuming the unfortunate child survives)...

The Spartans had the right idea...throw any malformed and sickly kids over a cliff - keep the population strong and week out bad, unwanted and unneed traits (like having two heads!)

Of course by agreeing to that I have probably become some sort of Eugenic Nazi to some people...but who cares.

N.

Charismatic

1. It's not a genetic disorder.
2. I beg you to reconsider:

shakh your bootie

I'd have to agree with Norm - I'd terminate if I were a woman and in that position.

Thankfully, I am neither.

Norm_uk

So having two heads when the rest of your entire species has one is not a disorder is it?

Am sure those two (or do we call her/them one?) will live a normal life...imagine when one wants to get married and the other doesn't - what happens then? Which head is dominant? How will they sit exams or apply for jobs - it's not fair I only have one head to do my job. Will they get double salary?

Also, made me sick how the mother of the fetus said something about everything happens for a reason and this must be what God wants. I think people should wake up, stop accepting nonsense we can fix or do without because of an imaginary deity and the world will be a better place.

N.

Blue Cat

me too Shakh, I would terminate

commander

Same here given the situation.the parents I feel should make the sensible informed decision. It is a fetous(sp) at this stage, not a baby or babies or whatever..

Norm your comments are a bit OTT. You know I of all people am not the 'offended' type, but are you inferring for example that my neice with downs syndrome should simply have been handed over at birth.7 years ago .you must meet her next time she visits, she'll punch you in the bollox..

Charismatic

On at least one level we are all "damaged goods". You, for instance, will have genetic information that has been mistranscribed or damaged and this is lucky because it is an essential part of the development of a species.

In this case it's not even a genetic defect but the failure of embryos to fully divide, probably due to environmental factors. They are monozygotic so whether you consider them different people or the same person is irrelevant, it's like asking if you have two strawberry plants or one when a runner puts down roots. You yourself are actually a collection of cells not just of one "human" but many species living in parasitic and mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships, you may think of yourself as an individual but you are, in fact, many individuals. Of course weas well are just part of a cycle being that that we consume benefits genetically from it's relationship with us.

It appears legally they regarded as two human beings so there isn't much debate to be had from the aspect of tests, exams, employment contracts etc.

In their personal lives however you would ask them if they'd rather they'd never been born. I suspect they will live fulfilling, happy lives .

Yes well, the flying spaghetti monster doesn't care .

Grace O Malley

oh def so would I.

Blue Cat

raising 1 100% healthy child has nearly killed me hardest job ever

Grace O Malley

I have a downs syndrome nephew, these children radiate so much love, its unbelievable, my nephew is always smiling, he rarely cries, ooh i love him.

Saying that many women will abort a downs child, knowing my nephew now, i would really not know what to do if it was me.

Grace O Malley

BC you have just begun, you got years to go yet, just u wait for the teenage years, aahhhh painful