A baby born with two heads and one body is fighting for his life after doctors discovered that he was experiencing breathing difficulties.
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The baby was reportedly delivered by Caesarean section at around 32 weeks of pregnancy and weighed 2.25kg (4lb 15oz) at birth.
Despite his struggle to breathe, doctors also diagnosed him with dicephalic parapagus, a rare form of conjoined twinning in which two distinct heads are positioned side by side on a single shared torso.
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The birth took place at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Odisha, India, where doctors confirmed that the baby was in critical condition.
According to the hospital’s chief of paediatric surgery, Dr Manas Ranjan Sahu, the baby has two spinal columns but shares one heart and one liver. He also has one pair of arms and legs, a single genital and urinary tract, male external genitalia and no anal opening.
The hospital superintendent, Dr Sudeepa Dash, said a multidisciplinary medical team had been formed to manage the baby’s complex condition.
However, doctors have warned that his chances of survival may be poor because of the multiple abnormalities and associated health complications.
The baby’s 22-year-old mother was transferred to the hospital for specialist care before giving birth.
The child is the couple’s first baby, while his father works as a daily-wage labourer.