An expert in family law has provided insights into the potential parental status of a baby seen with a well-known pair of conjoined twins.
Brittany and Abby Hensel, hailing from Minnesota, gained significant attention and even had their own reality TV series due to their unique condition which became a topic of fascination online.
These 35-year-old women are dicephalic parapagus twins, meaning they have two heads joined to a single torso. Each twin controls one arm and one leg but has their own separate heart, stomach, spine, and lungs.
In the previous year, it came to light that Abby had married Josh Bowling in 2021. Recent photographs have fueled speculation that the couple may have welcomed a child, as images shared by TMZ on August 14 showed Brittany and Abby with a baby.
On August 30, the family addressed the public curiosity by releasing a TikTok video showing the twins with a baby, accompanied by the caption: “Blessed,” and hashtags such as ‘sisterhood’ and ‘respect’.
Despite this, Abby, Brittany, and Josh have not publicly confirmed the child’s identity or whether they are the parents, leading to questions about who would be recognized as the baby’s legal mother.
Tamara Adams, an associate at Stowe Family Law, commented on the legal complexities, stating: “In the UK, and most American states, there can only be two legal parents at any one time. A child’s mother will always be the birth mother – i.e. the woman who gave birth to the child.
“The legal father of the baby would be the biological father i.e. the owner of the sperm.”
This situation presents unique challenges with conjoined twins, as legally, only one of the sisters could be the mother, yet Abby and Brittany share a uterus.
Tamara elaborated, saying: “This is where the complexities arise, because there is not a clear sole birth mother.”
“It might be that Abby, the twin who is married, would be registered as the birth mother alongside her husband as the birth father, and as she is married, her and her spouse, are the legal parents.
“However, this is not guaranteed.”
If the twins did not give birth to the baby, the legal mother would be the actual birth mother, Tamara clarified.
“If one of the twins sought to be a legal parent, and either they or Abby’s husband had a genetic link to the baby, they would need a parental order to transfer legal parenthood away from the birth mother.”
Tamara noted this is a ‘highly unusual situation,’ adding: “Abby and Brittany have survived and thrived far longer than any medical professional would have anticipated. If the baby they have been seen with is biologically related, a complex parental dispute could be on their hands, potentially being the first baby produced by conjoined twins with a shared uterus/other vital organs.”
The twins have surpassed all expectations of medical professionals, as it is uncommon for conjoined twins to reach adulthood.
Abby and Brittany strive for independence in their lives, being capable of eating, writing separately, playing the piano together, and working as teachers.
They both also possess a driver’s license, having passed their driving tests individually as per the requirements in Minnesota.