Conjoined twin sisters finally reveal how their bodies are really connected
Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel have revealed how their two bodies are partially-joined.
The sisters shared a video on their TikTok account showing their followers the structure of their conjoined bodies.
The video reveals how they have two brains, two spinal cords and two hearts.
Their upper body organs are unique, for example, if one heart fails, it could impact blood flow and pressure because both hearts are part of the same circulatory system.
It is also revealed how Abby controls the right arm and Brittany controls the left one.
The narrator in the video they posted said: ‘For activities requiring both arms, such as holding objects, typing on a keyboard or steering a car, they rely on constant cooperation and communication.
‘They’re able to perform these tasks smoothly thanks to the remarkable synchronisation between their two brains and nervous systems.’
In the lower part of the body, both Abby and Brittany have lungs, two esophagi, two stomachs, and a single shared liver and small intestine.
Each twin has a different appetite because their two stomachs and esophagi operate independently.
Food they eat travels through each twin’s esophagus and enters each stomach, feeding nutrients into large and small intestines.
Their single shared liver is larger on average to meet the needs of both their bodies.
The sisters also have a single set of reproductive organs but three kidneys—one on Abby’s side and two on Brittany’s.
This means the kidneys filter waste products from the blood effectively despite a shared urinary system.
The two shot to fame on reality TV and first appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996 when they were just six-years-old.
They now work as teachers in Minnesota and are the rarest conjoined twins because they come from a single fertilised egg that failed to fully separate in the womb.
They have lived an overall normal life and had a third arm removed when they were just babies.
Abby tied the knot with her partner Josh Bowling in a ceremony in Minnesota, it was revealed in March 2024.
Father of one Josh and Abby kept their relationship quiet in recent years, after the sisters ended their show on channel TLC.
But documents revealed that Abby and army veteran Josh got married in 2021, and a clip shared on TikTok revealed the wedding ceremony.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.