What’s interesting about this latest child is that it’s pretty much exactly what most people think of when they hear the words “two headed baby” in that it’s a dicephalus twin with two heads side-by-side, two arms, two legs, two spinal columns, and a set of shared organs. This is different from the other recent two headed baby (Rebeca Martínez born September 2003 in the Dominican Republic) that was craniopagus parasiticus where the second head with an undeveloped body is conjoined at the skull with its twin. As is often the case in the latter form, Rebeca passed away during the operation to remove the parasitic head.
The baby in Indonesia has been named Syafitri by her parents apparently unaware of the fact that they’re literally dealing with two separate people in one package. Doctors are reportedly considering an operation to try and separate the twins which is, frankly, quite surprising to me. I wouldn’t have thought such twins could be separated, but apparently it depends on how many of the internal organs are shared between the twins, but even then separation means life in a wheelchair for both people if they survive. In Syafitri’s case, however, they share a single heart which may not be enough to support both twins regardless of whether they’re separated or not, but definitely complicates any proposed separation attempt. One possible solution, which would be a nightmare to have to consider, would be to try and save only one of the two kids by killing its twin.
As a parent I can’t begin to imagine how to decide which of the two people trapped in that one body to sacrifice for the sake of the other. Especially if neither one of them had any worse chance of survival after separation (which would likely kill both anyway). If it were me I’d probably leave them be and hope they have a strong heart as there have been several other dicephalus twins who have managed to lead relatively decent lives considering their situation.
Posted on 08/26/2006 at 06:23 PM 
Well, if I ever really needed further proof that there is no god, or if he does exist he’s the sickest, most twisted bastard ever, here it is.