They're The World's Most Amazing Sisters

Sep 30 2007 By Russell Findlay

A Million-To-One Chance - They're Born On Same Day But Not Twins

MILLION-TO-ONE baby sisters Ame and Lia were born on the same day - but they are not twins.

For Ame was conceived three weeks after Lia due to a rare event called superfetation.

Mum Amelia Spence went on producing eggs despite having already conceived Lia.

She got pregnant again with Ame three weeks later and both babies grew side by side.

Their conception is even more remarkable as Amelia, 29, was on contraceptive pills.

Shocked medics at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital only discovered the existence of the non-twins at the 12-week scan.

The scan images show Lia taking on the distinctive shape of a baby with clearly defined features and limbs but Ame is still no more than a meaningless shape on the screen.

Last night dad George Herrity, 33, said: "They're our million-to-one girls. It's amazing.

Lots of people can't get their heads around how it's possible."

Because of the unusual nature of the new arrivals, George hit on the idea of naming them after mum Amelia's name split in two.

Doctors feared at least one tot could have died due to numerous potential complications.

They eventually decided Amelia should undergo an emergency Caesarean on April 16.

Tiny Ame was born first despite being conceived second.

She weighed 4lb 13oz after just 29 weeks in the womb and minutes later she was joined by 6lb 11oz Lia who had been 32 weeks in the womb.

Amelia, also mum to daughter Jordan, nine, and son Declan, eight, said: "It was hard to get our heads around the fact that I was pregnant with two babies but they were not twins.

"The doctors had never seen anything like it - they had only read about it in medical books."

The family, of Neilston, Renfrewshire, praised medical staff who helped them.

Amelia said: "I had to have a scan every two weeks as they had to keep an eye on things.

"It was nerve-wracking and I just kept praying the babies would both be all right. But the doctors eventually decided on a Caesarean after Ame seemed to stop putting on weight.

"After the births, the team were confident they would both be okay. It was such a relief.

"One day we will explain to them why they were born on the same day but aren't twins."

Identical twins occur when one egg splits into two and non identical twins when two eggs are released and fertilised at the same time.

Superfetation occurs when eggs from two different menstrual cycles are released and fertilised separately.

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