Synopsis

For the last week, Americans have been following the dramatic story of twin baby girls from Guatemala, joined at the head -- until a daring, 22-hour operation by neurosurgeons in California separated them. The prognosis for both is cautiously optimistic. Correspondent Jane Clayson reports on another amazing story of conjoined twins. From the time she was a little girl, Emily Stark says she knew that twins were in her future. When she became pregnant in November, 2000, an ultrasound verified her premonition: she was carrying twins. Then she had another hunch: that they were joined. Doctors confirmed that she was right about that too. At first, the Starks were devastated. But the twins were joined at the base of the spine and did not share any internal organs, which greatly improved their chances for survival. The Starks decided to keep the babies. Two months before the due date, Emily went into labor and delivered her twin girls, Alexandra and Sydney. After the birth ot the twins Sydney and Lexi, the Starks decided to separate the girls. But the surgery carried the risk of paralysis. Could the team of doctors succeed?

Aired on 12/07/2001