Bismarck, N.D. (AP) A woman from Bismarck has given birth to conjoined twins in a Minneapolis hospital.

It's the second set of conjoined twins born to a North Dakota couple in less than a year.

Stacy and Suzy Fitterer named the identical girls Abygail Faith and Madysen Rose. They were born Tuesday at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, joined at the abdomen.

Hospital officials say they weighed just under six pounds each, and were delivered by cesarean section.

Doctor Robert Acton says the twins are doing well. He says they're just as strong as other twins that are born at 36 weeks.

The births come three months after Abbigail and Isabelle Carlsen conjoined twins born to Jesse and Amy Carlsen of Fargo were successfully separated by a team of surgeons at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. They were joined at the chest and abdomen.

On the Net: www.caringbridge.com/visit/abygailandmadysenfitterer (Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 08-10-06 1927CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list