Filipino mother pleads for help to separate her four-month-old conjoined twin daughters

A desperate mother has appealed for help to save her conjoined twin daughters who are joined at the stomach.

Rubilyn Guinto, 31, was expecting twins or triplets, but was unaware there would be complication when went into labour in October last year.

After several difficult and painful hours, Rubilyn gave birth to the sisters through caesarian section.

The twins, named Mercy and Divine, emerged with all of their own limbs and heads, but were stuck together at the belly.

Now four months on, the sisters are healthy, but unless an operation takes place, they risk debilitating health problems in the future.

Rubilyn, a housewife, and her partner Edmund Cerillo, are now battling to scrape together at least 250,000 Philippine peso (3700GBP) to pay for the operation which doctors said has a ''high chance of success''.

Rubilyn said: "Taking care of them is not easy, but I had to endure. I feel really bad about it.

''People told me when I was pregnant that it might be twins. I did not believe them because we don't have history of having twins.

''I was advised to visit the doctor but since we don't have much money, I did not go.''

The mother, who has no other children, said she did not know that she will be having twins.

"I cannot afford regular medical check-ups. I only knew about it on the day of my delivery,'' she added.

Rubilyn said she tried to give birth naturally but was in too much pain and needed a caesarian operation.