Early Life
The twins were born at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah to Jake and Erin Herrin. They began their lives as conjoined twins of a form termed Ischiopagus (Type D) / Omphalopagus (Type B) conjoined twins, meaning that they were joined at the abdomen and the pelvis; they had between them an abdomen, pelvis, liver, kidney, large intestine and two legs (each twin controlling one leg).
Although separation of most conjoined twins is more likely to be successful at a much earlier age, transplantation of a kidney is not generally possible in children younger than age 4. Doctors debated whether they should be separated because of the risk to Maliyah, but their parents and doctors ultimately decided to go forward with the surgery, feeling it gave them their best chance at a normal life. They have been the subject of numerous news articles and have made appearances on television talk shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Read more about this topic: Kendra And Maliyah Herrin
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