Conjoined twins born in Bandung

BANDUNG: Only days after conjoined Iranian sisters, Ladan and Laleh Bijani, failed to survive high-risk surgery in Singapore to separate them last week, another set of twins were born here with their stomachs, feet and groin joined.

The twins were born to Rodiah, 35 and Asep, 57, at 7:46 p.m. on Saturday at Astanaanyar hospital. Rodiah and Asep, a construction worker, already have seven children.

The twins weighed 4.7 kilograms and were 46 centimeters in length.

The twins have no sex organs, but doctors found a scrotum. They only have one anus and one navel.

Each of the twins has a head, complete sense organs, two hands and two feet.

Dr. Ogi Dewangga, who aided the birth, said Rodiah came to his hospital after a midwife was unable to help her due to the babies being in the breech position.

"I had no knowledge at all that the mother would give birth twins... First I raised the baby's hip and feet, but I later found another set of feet. I was extremely surprised." --JP