Abby and Brittany Hensel have been seen with a newborn baby after rumours began circulating online that the conjoined twins were pregnant with their first child
Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel have been photographed with a newborn infant, sparking rumours that they’ve chosen to expand their family.
The 35-year-old sisters were captured carrying the tiny tot in a car seat before cautiously ensuring the child was properly strapped into their vehicle. The duo then took a moment to relax at the rear of their Tesla before driving off from the car park in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
This sighting follows whispers that began swirling last year suggesting they were expecting their first child. The pair have yet to confirm whether the infant belongs to them, with the teaching duo now preferring to keep away from public attention.
Abby and Brittany first captured the public’s imagination in 1996 when they featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show aged just six. This debut appearance sparked massive public fascination, eventually landing them their own TLC reality programme, Abby and Brittany.
The show followed their journey as they completed university and navigated the challenging transition into adult life as conjoined twins, reports the Mirror.
Abby married Joshua Bowling in 2021 and has already taken on the role of stepmother to his daughter Isabella from an earlier relationship, though she has previously voiced her hopes of growing their family further.
“We’re going to be moms,” Brittany declared during Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16 back in 2006. “We haven’t thought about how being moms is going to work yet.”
Abby and Brittany are dicephalic parapagus twins, meaning they share a single torso with two heads attached, along with one pair of legs between them.
Abby, positioned on the right side, manages the right arm and leg, whilst Brittany controls the left limbs. Conjoined twins are exceptionally rare, but the Hensel sisters are particularly extraordinary due to their remarkable symmetry compared to other conjoined twins.
The pair have consistently been open about their distinctive shared existence, recently sharing a video on their TikTok account featuring a medical expert explaining their connected anatomy.
“Abby and Brittany Hensel’s anatomy is a remarkable blend of shared and individual organs and tissues,” explained molecular biologist Hashem Al-Ghaili in the video they posted, “The twins each have their own distinct upper body systems. Abby and Brittany have two heads, two brains, two spinal cords, and two hearts, which are part of a shared circulatory system.”
Though they share the same blood circulation network, their brains and spinal cords remain independent, meaning they must collaborate in perfect harmony to carry objects, move around, or operate a vehicle.
The duo previously revealed on their TLC reality programme just how meticulous their coordination must be every single moment.
“We have two licenses,” Abby revealed back in 2012, “When we got our driver’s licenses, we each had to take the test. We both passed.”
Brittany clarified that they both have a role in steering, but her sister is responsible for the brake and acceleration pedals.
Despite each having their own heart, brain, spine, and two lungs, the sisters share a single set of reproductive organs.
As children, their parents were presented with the option of separation surgery. However, they declined, as it was doubtful that both daughters would survive the procedure.
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