• Question: what makes a conjoined twin

    Asked by to Rowena on 18 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Rowena Fletcher-Wood

      Rowena Fletcher-Wood answered on 18 Mar 2014:

      One theory is that the egg splits during development, but doesn’t split all the way. A full split is how you get identical twins (where non identical twins come from two eggs released together). If the egg only splits part way, the two embryos develop partly together and partly apart. If their development is cooperative they may survive, but the high rates of still born conjoined twins tell us it doesn’t always work out. 🙁

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