Conjoined twins are now like 'typical sisters' and are thriving since being separated, parents say
17 May 2023, 20:33
A pair of conjoined twins are now like "typical sisters" and are thriving since an operation to separate them, their parents have said.
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Their parents Hannah and Dan Bateson, from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, discovered their unborn twin daughters were conjoined in a1 2-week scan.
They were joined from the chest to the pelvis, and had a shared bladder, bowel and fused leg.
The fact their hearts were separate was key, and allowed surgeons to separate them. The operation was completed successfully in March last year.
Ms Bateson says she and her husband see the twins as a "miracle", and love playing together.
"Don't get me wrong, they're typical sisters," she told the Mail.
"One minute they are waving and clapping their hands at each other, the next they're fighting and bickering."
She said that the two have very different characters.
Ms Bateson added: "Issie's found her voice, she's babbling — a real chatterbox, while Annie is more of a silent rascal.
"She's the adventurer who will just disappear silently behind the television or sofa.
"There are lots of unknowns ahead, but for now we're still riding the high of them being alive, surviving birth and surgery."
Hannah was referred to London’s University College Hospital, where the babies were delivered by a specialist team.
They were then transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which is the leading hospital in Europe for separating conjoined twins.
Hannah and Dan said after the successful operation: "Annie and Issie have been separated. It was a very long day, their surgery lasted until the early hours of Tuesday morning but our wee girlies did so well.
"There is a long recovery in front of them and we expect there to be some bumps along the way but they are strong wee ladies and are being well cared for."
The chances of having conjoined twins are extremely low - just one in 2.5 million.
