Conjoined twins as the Siamese twins. Chang and Eng were joined at the torso by a band of flesh, cartilage, and their fused livers. In modern times, they could have been easily separated. Due to the brothers' fame and the rarity of the condition, the term "Siamese twins" came to be used as a synonym for conjoined twins. Conjoined twins are typically classified by the point at which their bodies are joined. The most common types of conjoined twins are: Other, less common types of conjoined twins include: There are two theories about the development of conjoined twins. The first is that
Monochorionic twins Monochorionic twins Monochorionic twins are monozygotic (identical) twins that share the same placenta. If the placenta is shared by more than two twins (see multiple birth), these are monochorionic multiples. Monochorionic twins occur in 0.3% of all pregnancies. 75% of monozygotic twin pregnancies are monochorionic; the remaining 25% are "dichorionic diamniotic". If the placenta divides, this takes place after the third day after fertilization. Monochorionic twins generally have two amniotic sacs (called Monochorionic-Diamniotic "MoDi"), but sometimes, in the case of monoamniotic twins (Monochorionic-Monoamniotic "MoMo"), they also share the same amniotic sac. Monoamniotic twins occur when the split takes place after