Miracle' conjoined twins

A couple have revealed their “miracle” conjoined twins have had their separation delayed after they caught Covid.

We weren’t prepared for it to go so well.” “As we were doing this scan, it dawned on both of us. It’s going to be more challenging for us.” Once those wee cries when they were delivered, it just changed the whole tone of it all. “We were trying to prepare and prepare for the worst case or very sick babies. The pair said they were “committed” to the pregnancy and spent the period doing research into the condition, but were dismayed to find there “wasn’t enough information” out there.

Forget one in a million, twins Annabelle and Isabelle Bateson are one in 2.5 million. The conjoined twins are now 8 weeks old and are doing well.

Attached from the chest to the pelvis, the girls share a bladder, bowel and a fused leg - but have separate hearts.

“I think a lot of it will only be discovered during surgery, we just have to have faith. We were preparing for the worst case [scenario] or very sick babies, but surprisingly, the girls were born so well. Then as we saw another scan it dawned on us and I said, ‘are they conjoined?’, and he said ‘yes, I think they are’." But they’ve fought so hard to be here so far that it will go well, we just have to have that faith..." Co Antrim mum Hannah said: "It was a very long journey but absolutely worth it. We weren’t prepared for it to go so well.

Hannah and Dan Bateson, from Toomebridge welcomed the twin girls at London's University College Hospital. Annabelle and Isabelle are joined from the chest to ...

“Surprisingly, the girls were born so well. “We were trying to prepare and make the most of knowing what we were going to go through to prepare for worst case or very sick babies. “It never dawned on us that that was going to be a possibility and as we were doing the scan, I was watching and it just dawned on both of us before the consultant even said.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning on Wednesday, Annabelle and Isabelle were born just eight weeks ago. Speaking to presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly ...

“I think a lot of it will only be discovered during surgery, we just have to have faith. "We hoped for the best. Then as we saw another scan it dawned on us and I said, ‘are they conjoined?’, and he said ‘yes, I think they are’."