Twins Born in Different Centuries

Separated by the stroke of midnight, at least three sets of twins were born on opposite sides of the new millennium.

The births occurred in Indianapolis, Fairfax, Va., and Berlin, Germany.

Neither Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis nor parents Julie and Tim Wallman planned the births to coincide with history, said hospital spokeswoman Leslie Smith.

``The husband told a funny story when he got to the emergency room, that he had taken her to the mall today and walked her over and over to get her into labor,″ Smith said. ``I do know that she came into the hospital already in labor.″

Jacob Wallman was born at 11:59 p.m. Friday. His sister, Jordan, was delivered at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

In Berlin, a 25-year-old Bulgarian mother first gave birth to Mircem, four minutes before the end of 1999, doctors at St. Joseph’s Hospital said. A minute into New Year’s Day, his brother Mircan followed.

The hospital refused to identify the mother, but indicated all three were in good health.

At Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia, a woman gave birth to a girl at 11:52 p.m., making her the one of the last Virginians born in the 1900s. The baby girl’s brother then arrived at 12:01 p.m. The hospital refused to identify the mother.