Vietnamese woman gives birth to conjoined twins

The twin baby boys born to a Ha Giang mother on July 13. Photo credit: Ha Giang Online

A woman in the northern mountain province of Ha Giang gave birth to a pair of twins joined at the torso on July 13.

Phan Thi Chay, 20, who is from a poor ethnic Dao family, was not aware she was pregnant until she was admitted to the Vi Xuyen General Hospital to give birth.

After diagnosing her with fetal distress, doctors decided to perform a C-section and saved the conjoined baby boys, who together weigh 4.9 kg.

Nguyen Ngoc Chung, the hospital’s deputy director, said the twins have recovered and have separate hearts and lungs.

On Thursday the hospital sent the twins to Hanoi for further examination, he said.

The hospital has donated money it collected from staff and from its fund for poor patients, he said.

It is calling for more donations to help the poor mother.

On Thursday Chung went in his doctor’s coat to a local market to solicit donations.

He said he wanted to help the poor family though he could be censured for not seeking the hospital’s permission first.

He has so far raised around VND40 million (US$1,800).