Epigraph:

لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا ۚ فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ

If there had been in the heavens or earth any gods but Him, both heavens and earth would be in ruins: God, Lord of the Throne, is far above the things they say. (Al Quran 21:22)

Conjoined Twins in Adulthood: Case Studies, Ethical Challenges, and Sociocultural Perspectives

Introduction

Conjoined twins (also historically called “Siamese twins”) are identical twins whose bodies are physically fused from birth. This phenomenon is extremely rare, occurring roughly in 1 in 50,000 to 200,000 births ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. A majority are stillborn or die shortly after birth; only an estimated 7.5% survive to a point where surgical separation might be attempted ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Advances in neonatal care and surgery have improved survival and separation outcomes for many conjoined twins, yet in some cases the twins remain joined throughout life, either because separation is medically impossible or by choice due to the risks and trade-offs involved. This article examines adult conjoined twins who have remained physically joined, exploring documented case studies of prominent pairs, the medical types of conjoinment and how that affects separability, the ethical and medical reasoning behind non-separation, the psychosocial dynamics of living an inseparable life, and the ways such twins are portrayed and navigate their identities in public discourse.

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