“Keep Praying for Our Boys!” Parents Welcome Conjoined Twins, Doctors Will Try to Separate Them

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Dec 15, 2014   |   12:55PM   |   Jacksonville, FL

Parents in Florida are welcoming the birth of conjoined twins and, because they do not share organs, doctors believe they can safely separate them in surgery.

carterandconner3Michelle Brantley and fiance Bryan Mirabal had their first son Gage in January and less than a year later they are now proud parents of conjoined twins. Carter and Conner Mirabal were born on Friday, one month early.  They face each other, connected at the abdomen, and do not share organs — which is good news in terms of being able to surgically separate them.

For now, the boys will remain conjoined as doctors determine best way to proceed.

The couple were surprised in the spring to hear that not only were they expecting identical twins, but the boys were conjoined facing each other from the sternum to the lower abdomen. Doctors initially told them that the boys may not make it to the 32nd week and that they had a 25 percent chance of surviving given their condition.

However, their pregnancy continued with no major complications. Michelle said she was “excited, but nervous” about the prospects of what lies ahead for them.

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Carter and Conner were officially welcomed into the world outside their mother’s womb just after midnight and they have been transferred to Wolfson Children’s Hospital for further observation and treatment.

You can show your support for the family by visiting their Facebook page at “Prayers for Carter & Conner.”

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The elated new parents wrote on Facebook: ‘We are not out of the woods yet that was the best news we have heard [in] god knows how long!’

The boys were delivered on Friday night in Jacksonville, Florida, after Ms Brantley was

And despite suffering minor heart complications at first, Carter’s heart is strengthening.

The survival rate for conjoined twins is between five and 25 per cent.

Ms Brantley and Mr Mirabal have spent the pregnancy in constant contact with Atlanta couple Robin and Michael Hamby, whose conjoined twin sons died the day they were born on December 5.

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