At 27 weeks pregnant, Ann was hospitalized. Every day became a battle to prolong the pregnancy, to give the girls even a slightly better chance at survival. But by week 30, complications became too dangerous, and the doctors were forced to perform an emergency cesarean section. The girls arrived early, tiny and fragile, their bodies fused, their futures uncertain.
The doctors later explained that children like Abby and Erin have only a 2% chance of surviving birth and qualifying for a possible separation surgery. But against all expectations, the girls were part of that rare 2%. After months of careful observation, MRI scans, medical debates, and long nights for both the doctors and the family, a decision was finally made — the surgery would be attempted. The risks were enormous, with no guarantee that both girls would survive.
