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.

A new British study has discovered that social media use or video gaming is not causing mental health problems in young teenagers.

For decades, experts across industries have warned that time spent on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram or gaming platforms could be driving a rise in anxiety and depression among teenagers.

However, researchers from the University of Manchester claim to have found little to no evidence over links of such claims.

Lead author Dr Qiqi Cheng said: "We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems, the story is far more complex than that."

Who Did The Scientists Analyze?

The researchers tracked pupils’ self-reported social media habits, gaming frequency and emotional difficulties over three school years to find out whether technology use genuinely predicted later mental health difficulties.

What Did They Find?

The researchers found no proof that heavy social media use or more frequent gaming caused increases in symptoms of anxiety or depression over the following year - for both boys or girls.

Girls who gamed more often went on to spend slightly less time on social media the following yea and boys who reported more emotional difficulties were more likely to cut back on gaming in the future. This suggested links between losing interest in hobbies when feeling low or parents limiting screen time when they notice their child is struggling.

The research team also explored whether actively chatting on social media or just passively scrolling made a difference but results stayed the same

The authors emphasize that this does not mean online experiences are harmless. Hurtful messages, online pressures and extreme content can still impact wellbeing but they argue that focusing simply blaming screen time is not enough and more attention needs to be paid.

Why are Teenagers More Prone To Mental Health Issues?

Constant comparison on social media, cyberbullying and pressure to fit in online or offline significantly impact self-esteem and increase anxiety. Apart from this, exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty during these formative years is a major risk factor for developing mental illnesses like PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Additionally, some adolescents are also genetically more susceptible to mental health conditions, which can be triggered by environmental stressors.

Flu has now reached California, officials at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed on Tuesday. The mutated influenza strain, which is dubbed as the 'super flu' is now spreading in California.

The CDPH confirmed a second pediatric death related to flu since the season of this respiratory virus had started. The 'super flu' strain is the mutation of seasonal influenza A H3N2 virus, called the subclade K. While the cases are on the rise, with some record breaking ER visits and hospitalizations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that the season has not peaked yet, and that there might be more cases in the coming week.

What Are The Symptoms Of Super Flu?

Dr Monica Gandhi, who is an infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco told SFGATE that people infected with the mutated strain will likely get common flu symptoms, such as body aches, fever, cough and headache. "I think this particular strain makes people feel pretty horrible," Gandhi said, and further added, "And the reason that subclade K is important is it may not be covered by the current flu vaccine."

However, experts are still asking people to get vaccinated. In fact, the CDC has also noted that vaccination "has been shown to reduce the risk of flu and its potentially serious complications". However, only 130 million doses of vaccine have been distributed, which covers less than 40% of the US population. "The vaccine remains the most effective means to prevent disease. We still want to encourage people to get the vaccine," said Professor Antonia Ho, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the University of Glasgow. Experts have stressed enough on the immunity that one can receive from the vaccine that that these flu jab remain the best defense against the flu, even though the current strain circulated may have drifted away from the strain included in this year's jab.

Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also show that vaccines is performing as expect, despite the emergence of subclade K.

K variant causes more intense flu symptoms, they include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny nose

This year's flu came after the flu vaccination was made, which means the current vaccination does not align with the mutation, however, experts have pointed out that it still continues to offer protection against the illness.

Update On Flu Activity

Flu activity in the state has shown a downtick from the season high at the end of the December. 15% of flu tests have come back positive by January 3, which is down from 17% rate seen during the week ending with December 27. However, the CDC noted that this downtick does not mean the end of flu season, it could rather mean that less cases were reported due to the holiday season. As the agency has warned more such cases to show up in the coming week.

In fact, hospitalization have been on the rise and hit a season high with 3.8 admissions per 100,000 in the state as of January 3.

Diabetes isn't just costing Indians their lifelong savings, it's also costing the country INT11.4 trillion.

According to a Nature Medicine study, India faces the second highest economic burden due to this chronic condition. Only the United States ranks higher, with costs touching INT 16.5 trillion, while China comes in third at INT 11 trillion.

While excluding informal care provided by family members, the global costs comes around INT 10 trillion which is about 0.2 per cent of the world’s annual gross domestic product (GDP).

However, if informal care is factored in, costs goes up to INT152 trillion or 1.7 per cent of the world’s yearly GDP, as per the study. (An international dollar, or INT$, is a statistical unit that has the same purchasing power as a US dollar).

The scientists estimated that the economic impact of diabetes was much more than Alzheimer’s disease or cancer in the top three countries.

The Diabetes Crisis In India

Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting several aspects of physical and mental health. It occurs when either the body can’t make enough insulin or can’t use it effectively, which impairs several functions.

Often referred to as the 'Diabetes capital of the world', over 100 million people across India suffer from the chronic condition while another 136 million are living with prediabetes.

According to Pharmeasy 2025 Diabetes Report, one in two people show high blood sugar levels when tested and over 90 percent of reports with high blood sugar also showed abnormality in one or the other parameters for liver, lipid, heart or thyroid issues.

Also known as a 'Silent Killer', diabetes can develop and progress quietly in the body, often without clear or early symptoms. Multiple studies show that over 50 percent of people with diabetes in India are undiagnosed or unaware of their condition.

When left undiagnosed and untreated, diabetes can cause severe complications across the body including heart disease, kidney damage or vision loss. These complications disproportionately affect vulnerable parts of the population, especially those in rural areas without access to proper testing and treatment.

Despite the growing economic burden, India faces systemic challenges in addressing diabetes, including inadequate healthcare infrastructure, low public awareness and fragmented policy responses.

What Did The Study Find?

They evaluated costs based on medical expenses, productivity losses and caregiving.

While the burden in the US is largely due to high treatment costs and loss of physical capital, the high costs are mainly driven by the sheer number of people affected in India and China, the researchers said.

Author Klaus Prettner, professor of macroeconomics and digitalization at the Vienna University of Economics and Business noted of the results: "Caregivers often drop out of the labor market, at least partially, which creates additional economic costs."

"This is a stark illustration of how medical treatment regimes for chronic diseases such as diabetes are accessible to high income countries only," co-author Michael Kuhn, acting economic frontiers research group leader at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, added.

Based on the results, the scientists said promoting healthier lifestyle, regular physical activity and a balanced diet is the most effective way to prevent diabetes and reduce its economic impact in each country in the long run.