The Mum Made of TWO Women

The Sun [UK] ^ | November 13, 2003 | Brian Flynn

[eccentric]

Almost all of these fused embryos would result in a miscarriage. It would be very rare for the DNA to be compatible. Even more rare for it to be found.

How many men have been told they were not the father because of this condition? The world may never know.....

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

Have you forgotten about Anna Kournikova?
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/06/21/30838.html
Though considering the source...

[11B3]

My sister knows this person as well - the skull had teeth, eyes, and long hair when removed. Imagine having to be on the surgical team that removed that!! eeewww.

[Lucy Lake]

My college roommate had four kidneys.

[T'wit]

What's the big deal? Howard Dean admits to being metrosexual, which is two different people of opposite sexes in one body.

When you tell him to go scr*w himself, he says, "Thank you."

[GATOR NAVY]

[Aracelis]

Thanks for the ping, Junior. As I said, if it's science, religion or politics, ping away...I'm simply not interested by the endless crevo debate.

An article you may find interesting on the subject of chimeras:

Human Genetics: Dual Identities

What troubles you about this condition? Is it that most of these individuals seem to be the product of IVF, and thus there are some rather snarly metaphysical questions attached?

[Junior]

No. It's more that I'm a strong believer in the ensoulment of the individual at conception ("I knew you in the womb..." and all that). At conception, this woman was two different people which a short while later combined to form a single woman. Neither one of the individuals "died" in the process and each can be said to be living even now.

Does she have two souls? Did one of the twins actually die during the melding process and the woman could be considered as having a massive organ transplant?

I dunno, this "chimera" concept bothers me a whole lot more than I thought it would. I would never let personal beliefs deny the existence of evidence (unlike some folks I've seen on this forum), but that doesn't mean I don't try to reconcile the two.

[Junior]

Rabbit-human crosses. That could have some interesting implications...

[PatrickHenry]

Does she have two souls?

I don't have the training to deal with this issue, but my first reaction is "yes." If the soul exists at conception, then she has two. It's odd, but not creepy. The only "problem" is that her moral decisions involve twice the risk of any other person's, but "in for a dime ... "

[VadeRetro]

I guess we've been building chimerical grownups with transplant operations for decades now. Then figure, as you point out, fetuses being so much more flexible ...

Still, it's a startling thing to hear going on.

[VadeRetro]

If the soul exists at conception, then she has two. It's odd, but not creepy. The only "problem" is that her moral decisions involve twice the risk of any other person's, but "in for a dime ... "

Very good! Sort of "If St. Thomas Aquinas Wrote for Comedy Central."

[HamiltonJay]

From a DNA perspective you are correct.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Bit by bit, my theory on the existence of alien/human hybrids gains support......

Could they be called Democrats?

[js1138]

It's a wise child that knows its own mother.

[js1138]

This is an interesting thread, one in which none of the usual suspects knows much or has any strong preconceived opinions. I haven't gotten to the soul part yet. I'm still boggled by the legal implications.

Who will be the first out with a hollywood script in which someone gets away with a crime by not being a DNA match?

The article doesn't mention men. Are there men whose concurrent twin fathered his children? Has this led to charges of adultery?

[Ichneumon]

Wow. There was a girl in high school that had two viginas.

Stacy Brown Got Two, by the late Shel Silverstein.

[Velveeta]

Fascinating! Thanks for the ping.

[VadeRetro]

Are there men whose concurrent twin fathered his children? Has this led to charges of adultery?

What are the psychological implications of realizing that you may be having the fun, but your unborn twin is fathering the kids? I don't know. Looks like it's good for about one bad made-for-TV movie.