India: Baby born with two heads dies in just 12 minutes

A woman in the eastern Indian state of Odisha gave birth to a baby girl with two heads. The baby lived for just 12 minutes on account of breathing problems.

The swift end to the baby's life came as doctors planned to take her to a neo-natal intensive car unit, sources told The New Indian Express daily. The 25-year-old mother, Rosalin Satpathy, delivered the baby by C-section at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha. The baby had two heads and necks, while its body was normal, Saroj Rath, the baby's father, said.

"Such babies are called dicephalic twins. It is a very rare case and the chances of survival in such cases are low," gynaecologist Dr Sweta Panigrahi said.

Rosalin's father Chittaranjan said his family was saddened by the event and that his daughter was inconsolable. "However, we accept it as our destiny," he said.

In December 2015, a woman in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh state gave birth to a baby with two heads. The baby was handed to its parents as doctors declared it to be in good health. But Doctors said survival of the baby was uncertain as "conjoined twins have a short-life span".

"She never complained of any problem throughout her pregnancy. We were excited for the arrival of our first child but when I saw the babies, I could not believe my eyes," the baby's father, Dalvir Singh, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.

"I had only heard of such births but never imagined I would have conjoined twins. My family is heartbroken but we have faith in God. Once the babies are discharged, I will take them to bigger hospital and consult specialists for their separation," the father of the baby had said.

In March 2014, a conjoined twin with two heads and one body was born in the state of Harayana. The baby died after three weeks, suffering from a cardiac respiratory arrest.