Singer Jesy Nelson recently shared an emotional update regarding the complications she is experiencing in her pregnancy with twin babies. Former Little Mix singer Jesy, who is having twins with partner Zion Foster, announced that she has been diagnosed with pre-twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (pre-TTTS). The condition, which is present in pregnancies involving twins with a shared placenta, has serious risks involved and needs intense medical supervision. As Nelson embarks on this difficult journey, her story enlightens us about a rare but dangerous condition many expectant parents may not know much about.

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome is a rare but dangerous condition that arises in monochorionic twin pregnancies, in which identical twins share a single placenta. The placenta supplies the developing babies with oxygen, nutrients, and blood flow, but in TTTS, there is an imbalance of blood vessels that interconnect the twins, and thus the vital resources are not evenly distributed. One twin, or the donor twin, shares excess blood with the other, referred to as the recipient twin. This leads to one baby becoming malnourished and possibly anemic, and the other in danger of heart problems due to too much blood.

Nelson described her diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram video, explaining that she is currently in the pre-stage of TTTS and undergoing frequent monitoring. "I am being scanned twice a week, and each time, things have gotten a little worse," she shared, expressing her fears and hopes for the health of her babies.

Potential Risks of TTTS

If left untreated, TTTS can have devastating consequences. Medical research indicates that:

• 90% of the cases of untreated TTTS lead to loss of one or both twins.
• Despite treatment, only a 70% survival rate for both twins is assured.
• Severe forms can result in preterm labor, cardiac failure in the recipient twin, and organ failure in the donor twin.
• Complications in long-term survivors include neurological damage and developmental delay in surviving infants.

TTTS usually advances in stages, beginning with minimal changes in fluid levels and worsening as one twin continues to get an unequal share of blood. In extreme cases, fetal laser surgery, referred to as the Solomon technique, can be employed to divide the blood vessels and balance the twins.

Why Identical Twin Pregnancies Are More Complicated

Identical twins may develop differently, and their own unique form of placental sharing can have a dramatic effect on pregnancy risk. Jesy Nelson's twins are considered monochorionic diamniotic (mono/di), which means they share a placenta but have two amniotic sacs. This is the type of pregnancy in about 70% of identical twin pregnancies and carries an increased risk of complications like TTTS, umbilical cord entanglement, and growth restriction.

Conversely, dichorionic diamniotic (di/di) twins both have a separate placenta and amniotic sac, which greatly diminishes the threat of TTTS. Twin pregnancy type is normally identified by early ultrasound, with physicians being able to track future complications from inception.

Other Twin Pregnancy Health Risks

Twin pregnancies, even without the presence of TTTS, entail a variety of health risks to the mother as well as infants:

1. Premature Birth

Over 60% of twin pregnancies end in premature delivery, with birth usually taking place before 37 weeks. Premature infants can have immature organs and need neonatal intensive care (NICU) assistance to assist with breathing, feeding, and infection fighting.

2. Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia

Pregnant women with multiples are at increased risk of having high blood pressure during pregnancy. This, if left untreated, can result in preeclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy that can result in damage to organs, preterm labor, and in some cases, maternal or fetal death.

3. Anemia

Pregnant women carrying multiples are twice as likely to experience anemia, a condition where the body does not produce enough healthy red blood cells. This can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and complications during delivery.

4. Birth Defects

According to John Hopkins Medicine, multiple birth babies are twice as likely to have congenital abnormalities compared to single births. These can include heart defects, neural tube defects, and gastrointestinal issues.

5. Amniotic Fluid Imbalances

When twins have to share a placenta, they are more likely to have polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid) or oligohydramnios (not enough amniotic fluid). Both result in distress to the babies during fetal development and can result in premature labor.

6. Postpartum Hemorrhage

Twins are at increased risk of excessive postpartum hemorrhage because their uterus is larger and there are greater blood supply needs.

Jesy Nelson's openness about her challenging experience is raising awareness for TTTS, a condition that few individuals—let alone expectant mothers and fathers—might be aware of. Through her tearful video, Nelson stressed the significance of knowing about twin pregnancies aside from the thrill of having multiples. "We had no idea that this type of thing occurs when you're having twins. We just desperately want to make people aware of this because there are so many people who aren't aware."

Her case reminds us of the intricacies involved in twin pregnancy and the significance of early identification and medical management. For mothers carrying twins, frequent ultrasounds and vigilance can become a life-and-death issue for early detection and better outcomes of both babies.

Through constant medical attention and care, she and her partner Zion Foster remain positive and get ready for their babies to be born. In other parents whose situations are no different, the story of Nelson highlights awareness, medical progress, and emotional encouragement in handling complicated pregnancies.

The expecting parents of twin siblings are advised to discuss TTTS screening and possible interventions with their physicians to give their babies the best chance.

In a significant move for public health, Telangana has declared cancer as a notifiable disease and launched a cancer registry.

The state reports about 55,000 to 60,000 new cancer cases every year.

A cancer registry would help the government in having accurate data for preparing better plans to deal with the spread of cancer, said the state Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha.

He noted that the state government has expanded healthcare to treat cancer by establishing Day Care Cancer Centers in district headquarters towns. Further, the government is conducting health checks for 46 lakh members of women self-help groups (SHGs).

In addition, the government would also start Regional Cancer Centers and take measures to detect diseases like cancer through AI.

Is Cancer A Notifiable Disease In India?

A notifiable disease means that it is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The mandatory reporting facilitates surveillance, helps control.

Cancer is not currently a centrally mandated notifiable disease across all of India, as the central government focuses on surveillance through the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP). The NCRP was established in 1981 under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

However, over 17 states and UTs in India have declared cancer a notifiable disease to improve data, registry accuracy, and early detection.

Also read: Cancer Is The 10th Leading Cause Of Death In Indian Children: Study

India operates two primary types of cancer registries to monitor the disease burden:

• Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs): These collect data on all new cancer cases and mortality within a specific geographic area. Nearly 40 PBCRs are covering approximately 16.4 percent of India's population.

• Hospital-Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs) record information on patients diagnosed or treated at specific hospitals. There are currently over 269 HBCRs across the country.

“Cancer is emerging as a major public health problem in India. There is a need to collect accurate and robust data on cancer for planning optimal cancer care services across the country,” Dr (Prof) SVS Deo, Chairman – Surgical Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, told HealthandMe.

The Role Of A Cancer Registry

Dr. Raghav Kesri, Senior Consultant & HOD, Medical Oncology, Yatharth Hospital, Greater Noida, said that cancer registration is significant in determining the types of cancers that are most common in a certain region.

It also allows us to pinpoint the risk factors that might contribute to the increasing number of cancer cases. In India, there are cancer registrations conducted by individual states and the country as a whole.

“These statistics allow us to analyze the trend when coupled with demographics, giving us important information to consider. This is critical knowledge to ensure that we go in the right direction in our health policies, including cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment,” Kesri told HealthandMe.

How To Prevent Cancers

Also read: Are Young Indians At Risk? The Rising Burden Of Early-Onset Cancers

Approximately 60 percent of cancers in India are preventable, including tobacco-related (lung and head and neck cancers), infection-related (stomach, liver, and cervical cancer), and lifestyle-related cancers (breast and colorectal cancers).

Common ways to prevent cancer include:

• Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables
• Avoiding alcohol
• Quit smoking
• Avoiding tobacco consumption
• Stay physically active
• Maintain healthy weight.

Another alarming study has highlighted the growing risk of drug resistance, this time in pathogens responsible for eye infections.

A team of Indian researchers has detected multidrug-resistant bacteria in more than 45 per cent of isolates from patients with eye infections.

The study, jointly led by CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), also reported widespread resistance to fluoroquinolones — one of the main classes of antibiotics — across all pathogens examined.

Further, the team found samples with vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae strains involved in eye infections.

"These findings are worrying because they can spread their AMR genes to other bacteria, too. Also, these pathogens can infect other parts of our bodies," said Karthik Bharadwaj from CCMB.

The study, published in 'Communications Biology', raise concerns over current treatment approaches in ophthalmic care.

How Was The Study Conducted?

Researchers described the work as one of the most comprehensive genomic analyses of eye pathogens from India to date. CCMB handled genomic and bioinformatics analysis, LVPEI contributed clinical expertise, patient samples, and microbiological characterization, PTI reported.

Whole-genome sequencing helped identify new resistance mechanisms and mutations, offering deeper insight into how these pathogens evolve and spread.

Researchers said the high prevalence of resistance makes such an approach increasingly unreliable.

Also read: Gender-based Violence Surging Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Say Experts

The study underscores the need for microbiology-guided diagnosis and treatment, particularly in severe infections such as microbial keratitis and endophthalmitis.

"While genomic tools are not yet part of routine clinical workflows, the insights generated through this study provide a critical foundation for developing region-specific treatment guidelines and strengthening antimicrobial stewardship efforts in ophthalmology," said Dr Joveeta Joseph, head of microbiology at LVPEI.

Researchers also stressed that eye infections should not be viewed in isolation. The microbes involved often originate from the skin or environment, linking ophthalmic infections to the broader AMR burden.

"This study positions the eye as a valuable site for AMR surveillance in the environment around us," said Dr Prashant Garg, executive chair, LVPEI.

Increasing Drug Resistance In India

A recent Lancet Study reported that drug resistance is driving severe typhoid disease, hospitalization, and death among children under-5s in India.

Another 2024 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-led study also revealed a significant increase in antibiotic resistance and a decrease in the effectiveness of key antibiotics. This indicates a growing public health threat that requires immediate attention.

It showed E. coli, a common bacterium found in both ICU and outpatient settings, demonstrated a concerning rise in resistance to antibiotics like cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin.

Also read: Study Links Widespread Use of Antibiotics During COVID To Surge In AMR Cases

Rising Global Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when germs develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them.

It is one of the 10 top global health threats, undermining the effectiveness of essential treatments and placing millions at risk of untreatable infections.

As per WHO data, AMR is an urgent global public health threat, killing at least 1.27 million people worldwide and associated with nearly 5 million deaths in 2019.

The WHO, in a 2025 report, noted that one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections causing common infections in people worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatments.

Panic has gripped the residents of two villages in Rajasthan's Salumbar district, where five children have reportedly died within five days. The reason: an unknown disease characterized by a sudden onset of fever that worsens rapidly, and claims the lives of children within 24 hours.

According to officials, the children who died were between 2 and 4 years old, and all of them developed high fever, convulsions, and vomiting before their condition worsened rapidly.

Besides the five children who died, another 8 children are reportedly showing similar symptoms of the unknown disease.

The incident has been reported from Ghata and Lalpura villages in Lasadiya block.

The Disease Yet To Be Identified

The deaths have created fear among villagers, who submitted a memorandum to the SDM and health officials, seeking immediate action and identification of the disease.

District officials, along with a medical team, have reached the villages. The District Collector has ordered an inquiry. Medical teams are currently stationed in the villages, according to local media reports. Blood samples and other tests are being conducted to check for viral infection, brain fever, or any seasonal illness.

After preliminary treatment, five of the eight children newly affected with the mystery illness were referred from Lasadiya CHC to Udaipur District Hospital. Meanwhile, three children were referred to Salumbar District Hospital.

"Seventeen teams have been deployed in Lalpura and Ghata villages. Around 562 families live in this area," said Dr. Dinesh Rai Sapela, Additional District Collector.

Health teams are also conducting door-to-door screening, as well as collecting blood samples. These samples have been sent to RNT Medical College in Udaipur for testing.

“The exact cause behind the deaths is not yet known. It could be a viral infection or a seasonal disease, but confirmation will only come after test results,” said BCMO Dr Sintu Kumawat.

Meanwhile, Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary of the Medical and Health Department, stated that the Chief Medical and Health Officer of the Salumbar district has been instructed to form teams of health workers to ensure intensive screening of children exhibiting fever symptoms—not only in the affected villages but also throughout Salumbar and its surrounding regions, media reports said.

“Immediate treatment will be provided to any child showing symptoms. Critically ill children are to be referred without delay to district hospitals or medical college facilities,” Rathore said.

Authorities have also initiated preventive measures against possible mosquito-borne diseases, including anti-larval activities, source reduction, and fogging operations in the affected areas.