Cnjoined Twins

During the years 1960 to 1970 inclusive, six conjoined twins were delivered out of a total of 403 441 deliveries including 3 276 twins and 37 triplet deliveries, an incidence of 1 in 67 241 deliveries and 1 in 655 twin deliveries. A seventh conjoined twin was delivered in late January 1971; inclusion of this case as well as the deliveries in January 1971 would lead to an incidence of 1 in 57 975 deliveries and 1 in 546 twin deliveries. Four of the twins were thoracopagus, one craniopagus, one dicephalus tripus tetrabrachius and one syncephalus. One of the thoracopagus twins occurred in a triplet pregnancy. All except two were delivered alive; four died within a few hours to a few days. One thoracopagus survived till 3 months of age; surgical separation was then attempted resulting on one survival who has developed normally and is now 7 years old. Antenatal diagnosis is necessary if the survival rate is to be improved.