# Legal status of conjoined twins. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048 "2007-03-08T02:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/41 "2007-03-10T16:42:47Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] I don’t see why people are so hooked on the idea that because they share a reproductive system, they’d have to be “co-mothers.” A person’s reproductive equipment is frequently divorced from their status as parent of a particular child. You have surrogacy, adoption, gay parents, sperm/egg donation . . . If the girls can have separate driver’s licenses, I don’t see why they can’t be separate mothers. The other sister would be simply a surrogate of sorts for her sister’s child. [/QUOTE] BIOLOGICALLY speaking, though, they would both be mothers. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/42 "2007-03-10T16:47:03Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] I thought we were talking about legal status in this thread. People are making this “co-mother” argument, that both girls would be on the birth certificate as mothers of the child. Show me where any surrogate has been listed on the birth certificate of a child as a “co-parent.” [/QUOTE] Show me where any surrogate mother has been a conjoined twin. Show me where any surrogate mother has shared a reproductive system with the actual mother. We are talking about breaking new legal ground here. What if the girls were not pregnant by choice? Who is the mother then? Which one gives it up for adoption? On another tack, is it possible to commit a physical offense against one and not the other? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/43 "2007-03-10T19:11:55Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] On another tack, is it possible to commit a physical offense against one and not the other? [/QUOTE] In the case of the Hensel twins, probably not. Other conjoined twins who are less conjoined - you could probably come up with a scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/44 "2007-03-10T22:21:39Z")
> [@](#): > > In the case of the Hensel twins, probably not. I suppose you could poke one in the eyes. That’d have an effect on both, but only indirectly (it might be hard to walk if the person controlling your other leg can’t see). ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2007, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/45 "2007-03-10T23:29:57Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] BIOLOGICALLY speaking, though, they would both be mothers. [/QUOTE] But is it legally possible for a child to have three parents? Sure, if one twin decided to let the other be listed as “mother” on the birth certificate there wouldn’t be much of a problem. But what if both Abigail and Brittany decide they’re equally the mother? Would it depend on which ovary the egg came from (how the hell could they even figure _that_ out)? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/46 "2007-03-11T13:16:59Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] In the case of the Hensel twins, probably not. Other conjoined twins who are less conjoined - you could probably come up with a scenario. [/QUOTE] I suppose. Any wound that causes trauma to the circulatory system would be against both twins, unless there have been conjoined twins who did not share a circulatory system. Is that even possible? Surely separating such twins would be simple. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/47 "2007-03-11T18:11:40Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] I suppose. Any wound that causes trauma to the circulatory system would be against both twins, unless there have been conjoined twins who did not share a circulatory system. Is that even possible? Surely separating such twins would be simple. [/QUOTE] Conjoined twins do share a circulatory system, but the extent varies. Chang and Eng Bunker, for example, probably would have been separated the day they were born if they showed up today. It’s even possible this could have been done during their lifetimes in Europe or the US though there was enough risk that they didn’t attempt it. The Hensels - I doubt it would be possible. But it would have been possible to, for example, beat up Cheng without harming Eng physically. Although that’s a horrible idea. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/48 "2007-03-11T20:25:45Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] But it would have been possible to, for example, beat up Cheng without harming Eng physically. Although that’s a horrible idea. [/QUOTE] As mentioned in the article I linked to above, Chang and Eng sometimes quarrelled and on several occasions came to blows. Once the hot-tempered Chang even threatened Eng with a knife. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/49 "2007-03-11T20:29:53Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] Conjoined twins do share a circulatory system, but the extent varies. Chang and Eng Bunker, for example, probably would have been separated the day they were born if they showed up today. It’s even possible this could have been done during their lifetimes in Europe or the US though there was enough risk that they didn’t attempt it… [/QUOTE] Even 19th century surgeons could’ve seperated them. The big problem would’ve been the risk of infection (doctors washed their hands _after_ surgery and a dirty, bloodstained apron was a mark a pride). They were only connected by cartilage and a few blood vessels. How nobody could tell that at the time. I read somewhere that it was thought they shared a liver. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/50 "2007-03-11T23:33:26Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] Even 19th century surgeons could’ve seperated them. The big problem would’ve been the risk of infection (doctors washed their hands _after_ surgery and a dirty, bloodstained apron was a mark a pride). They were only connected by cartilage and a few blood vessels. How nobody could tell that at the time. I read somewhere that it was thought they shared a liver. [/QUOTE] Sure, they could have been separated. Abdominal surgery was performed in the 1700’s, much less the 1800’s. Amazing, but true, patients were even known to survive being cut open and sewed up. Sure, there were lots of infections, too. As I said, it was _possible_ - but the brothers were aware of the risks which is why they chose to forgo surgery. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/51 "2007-03-11T23:51:57Z")
i reckoned that the girls would find a nice set of conjoined boy twins to marry and live happily ever after. there could be a set of boy twins who can’t be separated. with internet it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. of course, that didn’t settle the kidlet question. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/52 "2007-03-12T00:38:17Z")
Wait a minute! Are you saying I have to be clones to date the Hensels? (Well, they’re a bit young for me anyway, but they’re cute.) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2007, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048/53 "2007-03-12T10:09:50Z")
[QUOTE=rocking chair] there could be a set of boy twins who can’t be separated. with internet it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. [/QUOTE] There is such a set, but they’re about 50 years old - not sure they would be appealing to the Hensels. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-status-of-conjoined-twins/395048.md?page=2)