Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova

Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova were conjoined twins from Russia, born on January 3, 1950. They became one of the most studied cases in the field of conjoined twin research due to their unique physical configuration and the insights their condition provided into human physiology and psychology. Their full names were Maria and Daria Krivoshlyapova, but they were affectionately known as Masha and Dasha.

Biography

Masha and Dasha were craniopagus twins, meaning they were joined at the head, but their condition was even more unique because they had two separate bodies fused together at the torso, sharing three legs, three kidneys, two hearts (in a shared circulatory system), and a single liver. Despite their shared organs, each twin controlled and felt only her side of the body.

The twins were born in Moscow, and shortly after their birth, they were taken from their mother and placed in a medical institute for study. The Soviet government saw them as a valuable opportunity for medical research and kept their existence a secret from the public for many years. Throughout their childhood and adolescence, Masha and Dasha underwent numerous medical experiments and studies to understand how their conjoined bodies functioned.

Public Life and Education

Despite the challenges of their condition, Masha and Dasha sought to live as normal a life as possible. They were educated, learned to walk (albeit with difficulty due to their three-legged condition), and eventually graduated from a university with degrees in education. The twins had distinct personalities; Masha was outgoing and assertive, while Dasha was more introverted and gentle.

In the 1980s, their story became known to the public, and they were featured in several documentaries and interviews, providing insights into their lives and the unique challenges they faced.

Later Life and Legacy

Masha and Dasha lived together in Moscow for most of their lives. They faced health challenges, particularly related to their circulatory and skeletal systems, due to their conjoined nature. Masha developed problems with alcoholism, which further complicated their health issues. Dasha, on the other hand, remained relatively healthy but was often affected by her sister's choices.

The twins passed away on April 17, 2003, at the age of 53, from acute heart failure. Their lives and the extensive research conducted on them have contributed significantly to the fields of medical ethics, physiology, and psychology, providing valuable insights into the nature of conjoined living, individuality, and the human condition.

See Also

• Conjoined twins
• Medical ethics
• Human physiology