Woman Refuses to Abort Twins With Two Heads, One Body Monday, January 12, 2009

A British woman has found out she is pregnant with dicephalous twins who share one body but have two heads, and she plans on continuing with the pregnancy, the Evening Standard reported.

Nine weeks into her pregnancy, doctors discovered Lisa Chamberlain of Portsmouth, England, was pregnant with the twins after she complained of back pain and underwent testing.

After doctors performed an ultrasound and could find just one heartbeat, they told Chamberlain, 25, she should consider an abortion as the babies only had a 20 percent chance of surviving.

Chamberlain, who was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries at the age of 18, a condition that can cause fertility problems, said her twins were a “gift from God.

link[www.foxnews.com...]



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[edit on 13-1-2009 by 12m8keall2c]

Man o man what do you do in a situation like this? I feel for the poor woman. I guess she will have to work that out in her heart. I just hope it would not be a danger for her health to try to have this child. Hopefully she can pray about it and get more doctors opinions. Bless her

Is this a gift from God? Although I am strongly against abortion, I don't know how I feel about this. Having a special needs child myself, I understand the stress involved in caring for my child in trying to give him the quality of life he deserves.

This obviously is a very special unique case. However, it is my opinion that the mother is quite naive and doesn't understand what she is up against. Is it fair
to the child?

Please, I do not wish to turn this into an abortion thread! I would like to know
what is the best case scenario for everyone involved?

Originally posted by PammyK
Man o man what do you do in a situation like this? I feel for the poor woman. I guess she will have to work that out in her heart. I just hope it would not be a danger for her health to try to have this child. Hopefully she can pray about it and get more doctors opinions. Bless her

PammyK, I couldn't agree with you more! Prayer, is the answer I would seek.
I can't imagine the baby being a viable fetus in the first place.

Thanks for your beautiful answer. I really appreciate it.

That is really a heart-breaking situation. I have no idea what I would do if I were in her shoes. I thank God every day that my twins, despite being born 2 months prematurely and having twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, are both healthy, happy and are above average in all areas.

My oldest daughter has severe ADHD and a variety of learning disabilities which is challenging to say the least. There are many support groups for parents of special needs which are incredibly valuable. I cannot even begin to imagine what this Mom and her twins will be up against and with no support system of people in the same situation, it will be a long and difficult journey.

Very sad situation and one that needs a lot of prayer.

Jemison

reply to post by Jemison


You are so right Jemison. By the way, your girls are beautiful. My son is autistic and suffers with many symptoms. I know as well as you do, the time and effort needed to meet his needs. Not to mention the stress it puts on a marriage. This woman is not even married yet. She does need lots of prayer.

If the twins survive, the circumstances are so unusual surrounding this case, that I'm sure she will be given all the financial resources she needs. But without loving support, she will suffer.

Hopefully, she is well connected with a church, and they will be there for her.

Bless her heart, she needs our prayers

This is a very tough one. Most people would have abortion in situation like that but there is always a chance it could be a "twin"dividual like Abby and Brittany which have had a very nice life...

Originally posted by paxnatus
A British woman has found out she is pregnant with dicephalous twins who share one body but have two heads, and she plans on continuing with the pregnancy, the Evening Standard reported.

Nine weeks into her pregnancy, doctors discovered Lisa Chamberlain of Portsmouth, England, was pregnant with the twins after she complained of back pain and underwent testing.

After doctors performed an ultrasound and could find just one heartbeat, they told Chamberlain, 25, she should consider an abortion as the babies only had a 20 percent chance of surviving.

Chamberlain, who was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries at the age of 18, a condition that can cause fertility problems, said her twins were a “gift from God.

link[www.foxnews.com...]

If you don't want to turn this into an abortation debate then why say "She doesn't know what she is getting in to."

If it offends you then why should it offend others?

It is her descicion and only hers. I am sure that if she goes through with it that she has informed herself thoroughly and is prepared to change her life accordingly. So will the people living with and around her. I wish her and her babies the best of luck.

reply to post by crmanager

"f you don't want to turn this into an abortation debate then why say "She doesn't know what she is getting in to.

If it offends you then why should it offend others?"


I'm sorry, have I offended you in some way? I really don't understand what you are trying to say. Let me clarify, what I mean when I say "she doesn't
know what she is getting into"

I have a special needs child. I am very aware of how difficult it is to raise a child that is different. The money involved, the time and the effort! Until you have a special needs child, you will never understand what I mean. Yes, there is joy, but there is also a tremendous amount of heartache. It is
exhausting, frustrating and heartbreaking at times, more so than most can imagine.

Nothing about this woman and her unborn offends me. I don't understand
where you got that idea??

I fear the decision, whichever form it takes, would weigh heavily on my heart. Far be it from me to preordain that the lives of these children will be short and less than sweet. But if they live long enough to register the love of their mother/family I suppose that is reason enough to proceed with the delivery.

Were they to live longer than anticipated they would probably be media targets and might even be exploited. I wish I could believe otherwise.

I have never felt inclined to support the notion that abortions should be a casually accepted course of action; but it seems like these kids may be in for a rough time. In the end it's up to their family.

reply to post by paxnatus


"This obviously is a very special unique case. However, it is my opinion that the mother is quite naive and doesn't understand what she is up against. Is it fair
to the child? "

That comment makes me think you are offended by this situation and the child. "Is it fair to the child?" is as offensive as "The quality of life issues that people spout when their is anything that is not perfect.

Originally posted by crmanager
reply to post by paxnatus

 

"This obviously is a very special unique case. However, it is my opinion that the mother is quite naive and doesn't understand what she is up against. Is it fair
to the child? "

That comment makes me think you are offended by this situation and the child. "Is it fair to the child?" is as offensive as "The quality of life issues that people spout when their is anything that is not perfect.

Did you read what I said when I responded to your last post??
If you had, you would understand what I was saying based on MY OWN personal experience.

I said from the very beginning that I am strongly AGAINST abortion!!! I am not advocating that at all. I also do not know what I would do on that situation. I would be in constant prayer and looking to the Lord for my answer.

No hard feelings. It was not my intent to offend, I obviously have and I apologize.

reply to post by paxnatus


I have complete resect for anyone taking care of special needs kids. So much more because it is a choice to take on the tough job.

When you say " I don't know what I would do" seems like a cop-out with the "I am strongly against abortion" because the two don't go together.

You are or you are not. Abortion is black and white

The reality of the issue is that two heads and one hart the child if born will die.

So she is going to bring the child to ful term to be disappointed when the child dies later.

Sad but is her choice after all and she has the right to it.

reply to post by Waldy


They only reason they survived is because while they are "fuse" into one body they actually have individual organs that some are actually also "fuse" that help the twins be able to support their body.

2 heads
2 completely separate spinal cords
2 spines with ribs bridging the two columns
2 arms (originally 3, but rudimentary central arm was surgically removed, leaving central shoulder blade in place)
1 broad ribcage, with surgery to correct scoliosis and expand the pleural cavities
2 breasts
2 highly fused sternums, traces of bridging ribs
4 lungs (medial lungs moderately fused, not involving Brittany's upper right lobe); three pleural cavities
1 diaphragm with well-coordinated involuntary breathing, slight central defect
2 hearts in a shared circulatory system (nutrition, respiration, medicine taken by either affects both)
2 stomachs
2 gallbladders
1 liver, enlarged and elongated right lobe
Y-shaped small intestine which experiences a slightly spastic double peristalsis at the juncture
1 large intestine with one colon
2 left kidneys, 1 right kidney
1 bladder
1 set of reproductive organs
2 separate half-sacrums, which converge distally
1 slightly broad pelvis
2 legs

Originally posted by crmanager
reply to post by paxnatus

 

I have complete resect for anyone taking care of special needs kids. So much more because it is a choice to take on the tough job.

When you say " I don't know what I would do" seems like a cop-out with the "I am strongly against abortion" because the two don't go together.

You are or you are not. Abortion is black and white

I am not double minded when I say I am against abortion!!! However, I am being completely honest when I say I don't know what I would do! I don't know if I am a strong enough person handle having a baby with two heads,
that no doubt will be a target for the media.

Come on, knowing it is against God's will(for me personally)As horrible and offensive as it is I still don't know what I would do!

This is truly tragic.

Originally posted by marg6043
The reality of the issue is that two heads and one hart the child if born will die.

So she is going to bring the child to ful term to be disappointed when the child dies later.

Sad but is her choice after all and she has the right to it.

Not true, there are instances of the exact same twin disorder that have survived many many years.



I mean, I can see why someone might abort. I probably wouldn't.

[edit on 1/12/2009 by ravenshadow13]

I already posted why these "fuse twins" were able to live, their body while shared by two heads they have two harts most of their internal organ are individual or shared as "fuse".

If you can get a link to "fuse" twins with only one hart that has been able to survive for many years I will apreciated it, becuase I am very interested to see how many are out there.

reply to post by paxnatus

You are so right Jemison. By the way, your girls are beautiful. My son is autistic and suffers with many symptoms.

Thank you for your kind words about my twins. I have four daughters and they all look the same so people are often confused wondering if I have two sets of twins (twins are 7 1/2 and my older girls are 9 and 11) or if I have triplets and then one singleton. The Pediatrician refers to them as Irish Quadruplets.

My 11 year old daughter has been labled by some professionals as being somewhere in the autism spectrum while other professionals say she isn't anywhere in the autism spectrum. Regardless of what label she may or may not have, she is still a challenge and much of our life revolves around her. People without a special needs child really don't have a clue how it consumes your entire world and how every 'plan' you make has to be thought out in detail on how it might possibly impact the special needs child. It is emotionally and physically draining for the entire family, but that makes the 'good' days so much better and sweeter.

Jemison