Most people have never met any conjoined twins. In fact, the very phenomenon often seems mysterious and even legendary. But make no mistake: conjoined twins are stillborn more regularly than you may think, and few cases are quite as famous as Isabelle and Abby Carlsen.
The two were born over a decade ago as conjoined twins. At the time, many people (most especially their parents) were worried they would be joined together. However, after a risky procedure, these two beat the odds and are now living as healthy, happy, and separated little girls.
How did these young girls manage to overcome the odds? What was their early life like, and what are they doing now? Keep reading to discover the answers!
Declared ‘miracle babies’ at birth
When the Carlsen twins were born, they were declared “miracle babies.” They were joined together at both the chest and the abdomen. Their connection went far deeper than skin, though. In fact, at birth, the girls shared a small intestine and a liver and even had their hearts connected.
Those shared internal organs may give you a better idea of why the girls were declared “miracle babies” at birth. There is a lot of room for something to go wrong during pregnancy or delivery. For example, Seattle Children’s Hospital reports that “about 40% of conjoined twins are not alive when they are born. About 35% die within a day after they are born because their organs cannot support them.”
As you can see, the odds really were against these girls from the very beginning. And when the parents decided to try to surgically separate their children, they faced another uphill battle against the odds.