[VIDEO FOOTAGE] Twin Babies Born From Separate Uteruses ‘Shocks’ Mother
The chances of it happening are one in five million but two twins have been born in the U.S.A. from the same mother but from two separate uteruses.
The twins were delivered last week at Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater and the proud parents, Andre Barbosa and Miguel Barbosa welcomed the two miracle babies into their family on 15 September 2011 but was still shocked when they found out the news that Andrea would give birth to two twins but from two separate uteruses.
"I was shocked to learn I had a baby in each uterus," said Mrs. Barbosa, who has a two-year-old daughter at home.
"But my husband and I are just so happy that they are here and healthy. It was definitely a shocker," said the 24-year-old Clearwater mother, who learned about her unusual double pregnancy during an ultrasound at seven weeks. "I was frightened and scared - a little bit of everything in one," she added.
The Barbosa's doctor, Patricia St. John, MD, OB/GYN at Morton Plant Hospital, said that her patient knew the risks that were involved with her pregnancy but was keen to deliver the babies.
"We were thrilled to work with the family and guide them through this unique pregnancy and delivery," said Dr. St. John. "Because we were aware of her condition, we were able to take special precautions to ensure that both mother and babies would be healthy."
There have only been about 100 known cases worldwide of women with uterus didelphys being pregnant in both uteruses at the same time. Due to the condition being so rare, various statistics on the incidents of the unusual pregnancies have been documented. The most recent involved a woman in India who delivered twins in separate uteruses on 29 July.
Twenty-one-year-old Sarah Reinfelder of Michigan also defied those odds in 2009 when she carried twin girls to term. A third high profile case was twenty-three-year-old Hannah Kersey, of Devon, England, gave birth to triplets in 2006 - defying odds thought to be one in 25million
Uterus didelphys develops in the female fetus before birth and occurs when the two tubes that normally fuse together to form the uterus fail to form, developing into two separate cavities. In some cases, the double uterus is never diagnosed and some women don't realize they have the condition even during pregnancy and childbirth. The condition, uterus didelphys, is known to cause infertility and miscarriage.
The pregnancy was high risk and Mrs Barbosa delivered the twins at 36 weeks by caesarean section. Nathan weighed 5 pounds 8 ounces, while Natalie weighed 5 pounds 10 ounces ABC USA reports.
For a 2010 CNN report on uterus didelphys click here
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