[Ditter]

I have always been strictly pro life but faced with this kind a tragic freak of nature, I’d be in a quandary.

[DB]

If mercy killing is the issue, in truth it makes little difference if they were born or not. If you wouldn’t kill them after being born I don’t know why you would before - from a mercy point of view.

[Gelato]

I have always been strictly pro life but faced with this kind a tragic freak of nature, I’d be in a quandary.

No human life, no matter the physical disability, is disposable.

[GovernmentShrinker]

It’s a very tough call in many cases, because small details in anatomy can make a huge difference, and it’s often not possible to discover all the important details before birth, or at least very advanced stages of the pregnancy. This case sounds like it will probably turn out poorly, as I can’t imagine that there’s any possibility of separating twins with fused brain stems (apart from simply choosing to sacrifice one of them, and even then it would be iffy). I’m sure they’re adorable as babies, but they’re not going to stay babies, and life may be very miserable for them and their caretakers.

You probably recall the case a few years back of adult female Iranian twins who were joined at the head. On paper, they were doing great. They’d finished college, and one had finished law school (necessarily with the other tagging along), and apparently were healthy enough that they could expect a normal lifespan. Only problem was that they were so miserable that they preferred to take the huge risk of death that came with separation surgery, over continuing to live that way. And sadly, they both died almost immediately after the surgery.

On the other hand, you look at Abigail and Brittany Hensel, and they’re doing great at age 17, and reportedly have no interest in being separated. They’re quite unusual physically, in that while they’re basically two torsos and heads on one pelvis and set of legs, they have a two fully developed hearts so they’re healthy and have plenty of energy. This, and the fact that the nature of their anatomy makes it possible for them to get around easily, seems to make the situation very manageable.

In the end, I think these decisions must be left to the parents, after the medical professionals have provided them as much information as possible. It is really crude of this doctor to publicly write specifically about these twins. He could get any important points across by writing in the abstract about specific factors that occur in various cases of conjoined twins, and what the effects of those factors are on quality of life, and which ones he feels result in such severe impairment that it would better not to let them be born. Naming these twins and saying “their parents should have aborted them” accomplished nothing but to upset the family, and eventually the twins themselves if they’re not too mentally impaired to grow up and surf the Internet.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Ditto that.

[Coldwater Creek]

I saw a piece on the Discovery Health channel about a two headed girls. They were teenagers and seemed to be in a lot better state of mind and health than others of their age.

As unfortunate as these births are,it is not our place to play God, and pick and choose.

[socialismisinsidious]

Who gets to draw the line of exactly what constitutes a "freak of nature"? 40 years ago a 34 weeker was a "freak of nature" and many of those preemies died; we just didn't have the technology to save them. Some would say that a baby with a cleft palette or a downs baby is a "freak of nature" Very dangerous slippery slope this playing God is.

I declare that Dr. Ken Walker is a freak of nature!

[Scotswife]

so....better off dead?

right now they are growing, playing, and experiencing the love of family.

They haven’t decided yet if the separation can happen.
Perhaps it can happen.

If it cannot happen now, who knows what medical advances to arrive down the road to make it happen later.

Where did this expectation come from that human beings have to be perfect - live perfect lives, to be worthy of life?

[AliVeritas]

No need to be in a quandry.

This is one of my daughter's neurosurgeons btw: http://www.montefiore.org/newsreleases/2007/04/formerly_conjoined_twins_celebrate_a_miracle_fifth_birthday_1/

Now mom has her hands full, lol. They could see each others faces, run around now... there is no price on the joy not just the parents, but everyone had. See, it's not just about what would be to hard or inconvenient... it's about you becoming a better person and making the world better by witness of your love... of those deemed useless, unnecessary, a waste of cash and time, or too much trouble. Because you can put Jews away, Cambodians away, non-believers away, starve a woman to death in Florida, kill the unborn, rape, abuse and kill the young, kill grandma and grandpa off, children killing their parents... because there is no respect for life. Does that mean you have to raise these children should you be blessed with them... no. But believe it or not, someone else would who couldn't have children or lost a child for medical reasons... and I would be in line to adopt them as well. I know it sounds crazy, but it's worth it. As I said, that surgeon above is one of nine doctors my youngest has... my oldest two are graduating from UVA Law and NYU. My daughter has had 13 operations; They said she wouldn't live 24 hours, would be brain damaged, on dialysis, would never walk (she has Spina Bifida, 30% kidney function, paralyzed from the knees down). Guess what? She's reading on a ninth grade level in sixth, she's been walking since three, not on dialysis, is now going on twelve. She acts, paints, and has a dynamic personality and a zillion friends... the world is richer for her.

[mbraynard]

Let me clearify for you: outside of a temporary extreme conditions, how many people do you know who regret being born? I really don't know anyone who does, and I've only known one person among thousands who actually committed suicide and she was a perfectly healthy female. I'm unaware of handicap people being more inclined to commit suicide and am pretty sure they are nowhere near the most likely demographic to commit suicide - older, relatively healthy white males.

I sometimes see people with disabilities and consider that I may not want to live that way, but those people just keep on going and aren't offing themselves left and right.

Let these kids have the chance at life - don't fall into the culture of death mindset of defining some lives as being not worth living.