A mum gave birth to conjoined twins with two heads and three hands.

Babita Ahirwar, 21, had the delivery by caesarean section at a hospital in India on November 23.

According to medics the twins share a heart, but have a separate head.

The infant's third hand had two palms attached to it.

The new mum and her husband of 18 months Jaswant Ahirwar said they initially thought they were the parents of twins.

The baby is conjoined twins (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

Babita told a news agency: "It was a mixed feeling when the nurses handed over the baby to me.

"Initially, I thought it was a twin, but when the nurses removed the towel, I was shocked to see our firstborn with two heads and three hands."

Conjoined twins with two heads, one body and three arms are known as tribrachius parapagus.

Doctors with the conjoined twins (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

They are extremely rare and their survival rate is very low.

Dr Surendra Sonkar, who delivered the baby at state-run Vidisha Sadar hospital, said: "There is only one heart visible in the newborn.

"This is a very rare condition and this is the first time.

"I have come across such a case in my career."

Parents Babita and Jaswant Ahirwar (
Image:
Caters News Agency)

The baby has since been transferred to Bhopal's Hamidi Medical College and Hospital.

"We had initially kept the baby in the ICU, but we thought it was better to refer them to a better-equipped facility in Bhopal," Dr Sonkar said.