Conjoined Twins Abby and Brittany Hensel: ‘Exceptional Communication’ Is Key in Sex Life, Says Expert

Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel must be expert communicators, especially now that Abby is married to United States Army veteran Josh Bowling.

Ever since it was revealed in March 2024 that Abby secretly tied the knot, fans of the Abby & Brittany stars, 34, have questioned how the dynamic works between the trio.

Intimacy professional Ariella Salinas Fiore exclusively tells In Touch that being open and honest with one another is key to maintaining a healthy relationship, especially when it comes to having sex.

Abby and Brittany are dicephalus conjoined twins, which is defined by the National Library of Medicine as people who are “fused side-by-side with a shared pelvis,” so when Abby and Josh want to get intimate, Brittany has no choice but to be there.

When asked if she believes intimacy in Abby, Brittany and Josh’s dynamic is more planned rather than spontaneous, Ariella says, “I would imagine this would take not only planning but also would need exceptional communication between all parties.”

And if Brittany is simply not in the mood when Abby and Josh want to get it on, Ariella — who does not know the three personally — surmises that the sisters do not have to be in mutual agreement, since they are two separate individuals (even though they share most of the same body parts). Regardless, she says, this is “another area where communication is vital.”

She adds, “In this scenario, if the twin is not interested, they’d have to do whatever their normal policy is for when one twin is doing something the other doesn’t want to do. Could be they use a sleep mask or headphones or something to give some privacy, even though it is their body being used as well. This is of course pure speculation.”

It is also possible that Brittany may feel excluded during their sexual activities, but Ariella says, “It depends on how experienced they have become at disconnecting from things happening to their body when their twin is in charge, so to speak.”

The intimacy and sex expert adds that there likely wouldn’t be any jealousy between the three since Brittany is not actually in the relationship with Abby and Josh.

“My understanding is that they keep their relationship separate from the other, so it’s not really like a throuple, it’s more like a couple with a constant companion,” she says.

Still, the situation is completely unique for Abby and Brittany, who first made headlines for their condition after a 1996 interview and also documented their lives in Joined for Life: Abby & Brittany Turn 16.

When it comes to Abby’s husband, Josh, Ariella says, “[His feelings are] likely to be very complicated as the situation is not common nor something he has lived with his whole life, as the twins have.”

Reporting by Nate Grant.