Identical triplet girls, two conjoined, born in Texas
A woman in Texas has given birth to identical triplet girls, two of whom are conjoined twins.
The three baby girls -- named Catalina Montserrat, Ximena Jackeline and Scarlett Juliet -- were delivered by C-section on Saturday at Corpus Christi Medical Center - Bay Area, weighing four pounds, 11 ounces each, the hospital said. All three were able to breathe on their own without respirators. The two who were born joined at the abdomen were transferred to Driscoll Children's Hospital for specialized care.
Dr. Haroon Patel, a pediatric surgeon, told CBS affiliate KZTV the conjoined girls have separate pelvic bones and bladders, but "share pelvic contents, muscle, skin" as well as part of their colon.
The family said the twins were undergoing a surgical procedure Monday, KZTV reported, but it will take at least 6 months of testing and preparation before doctors could attempt to separate them. The family is asking the community for prayers and support.
The babies' parents, Sylvia Hernandez and her husband, Roel Torres, said they found out three months into the pregnancy that two of their triplets were conjoined. "God chose us to take care of these babies," Torres said. "We put our faith in God's hand first and everything will be alright."
The family set up a GoFundMe.com page asking for donations to help pay for the babies' medical expenses. They said Torres had to leave his job to care for his wife and their 3-year-old son while Hernandez spent five weeks on bed rest and hospitalized to help the babies keep growing as long as possible. The triplets were delivered just a day shy of 34 weeks' gestation.