Brazilian baby born with two heads

 A baby boy with two perfectly formed heads was born in Brazil. The 10.1pounds, baby was delivered by emergency Caesarean section in Anajas, in the northeastern Para State.

According to Claudionor Assis de Vasconcelos, director of Hospital, Municipal de Anajas, "And for us, it was a great surprise to find out that the child was in really good health," she said.

Maria de Nazare, 23 years old Brazilian mother was admitted to the Hospital in severe pain. She did not have any ultrasound exams during her pregnancy and was made aware of the baby's condition only a few moments before the birth.

The infant shares one heart and one set of vital organs, but both heads have started nursing normally, doctors said.

Joseph Brazil, the obstetrician responsible for the delivery, said, “The child has an amazing appetite. Despite all the problems we have as a small interior hospital we managed to save both mother and baby, which was our aim".

Nazare who has other children, has bonded well with her newborn and wanted to take the child home straightaway.

However, the mother and baby were taken by air ambulance to the city of Belem so doctors could carry out further tests.

Neila Dahas, obstetrician and gynecologist, said the baby was born with two heads as a result of a delay in the division of the egg.

"I want her to understand that she does not have a monstrous son, a son with two heads, but she has two sons," he said.

The mother named them Emmanuel and Jesus.

Dahas said that it would be absolutely impossible to separate the two heads as their body shares a liver, heart, lungs and pelvis.

This is the second case of a two-headed baby being born in northeastern Brazil this year.

Sueli Ferreira, 27, gave birth to a child with two heads in Campina in Paraiba state but the baby died a few hours later because of lack of oxygen to one of the heads.

By Portia: this article can also be found in TELL magazine