Housewife gives birth to two-faced baby

BOGOR (JP): A 17-year-old housewife has given birth to a baby girl with two faces, probably the first in the country, in a small clinic in Kampung Cangkurawok in Babakan village, Darmaga Bogor subdistrict, on Tuesday, a report said yesterday.

The baby girl has one head and a pair of ears. Her first face is in the correct position and the second looks out to the left, Antara reported.

Each face has a pair of eyes, a nose and a mouth, the report said.

The news agency did not disclose the baby girl's name.

It quoted the young mother, Maryati, and husband Khairuddin, 18, a public transport driver, as saying the baby was their first child. She was born at 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday and weighed 2.2 kilograms.

The birth went smoothly and was attended by a midwife, the couple said.

They admitted that neither had a feeling of foreboding before the birth and had been given no indication that something unusual was about to happen.

"Everything went smoothly and the birth was not too painful or prolonged," said Maryati, who still looked pale after the delivery.

Khairuddin tried to console her: "Hopefully the Almighty God will give us wisdom."

The couple, who live with Maryati's parents, have decided not to subject their baby to further medical treatment.

They said that even the latest surgical techniques would be incapable of helping their daughter.

Besides her two faces the baby girl is otherwise normal.

News of the birth spread quickly to surrounding villages.

Hundreds of people then flocked to Kampung Cangkurawok, which is located 11 kilometers from Bogor, to take turns to stare at the newborn child.

Some visitors even put some money near the baby, who was laid on a mat. (bsr)