Pregnancy is usually a time of happiness and hope, but it also brings in the unexpected. While there is much talk placed on the health of the expectant mother, the quality sperm coming from the father could dramatically change the outcome of pregnancy. The latest study suggests the risks of sperm DNA damage, even increasing the risks of complications preeclampsia and birth prematurity.

In a groundbreaking research study conducted by scientists from Lund University in Sweden, scientists discovered that DNA damage in sperm increases the risk almost up to double that of preeclampsia, this is a dangerous condition that may arise during pregnancies characterized by high blood pressure. In addition, DNA anomalies also increase the risk of premature births, and this further entails increased related adverse health outcomes for infants born through such conditions.

The next step would be to find out which group of men respond best to methods to prevent and treat sperm DNA damage, and to test these methods to prevent pregnancy complications," said Dr. Amelie Stenqvist, a lecturer at Lund University. According to this study, a significant message is put forward that paternal health assumes an important role in a successful pregnancy.

It focused its research on men, specifically whose sperm contained high levels of DNA fragmentation. For instance, some 20% to 30% of babies born via in vitro fertilization have fathers whose sperm contains damaged DNA. The DNA fragmentation index, an indicator to assess the percentage of DNA damage in sperm, indicated that when the percentage of sperm with a DFI above 30% was observed, they had almost no chance of resulting in natural conception. Even a DFI greater than 20% showed that the chances of getting pregnant are highly risky as the risk factor for pregnancy complications like preeclampsia is much high.

Uncommon Complications during Pregnancy

The most alarming complication during pregnancy is preeclampsia. It affects approximately 5% to 8% of pregnancies worldwide, which can cause fatal conditions for both the mother and the baby. The new findings now point out that sperm DNA damage may contribute to this condition, especially if it is due to assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF pregnancies. The research found that a DFI above 20% doubled the risk of preeclampsia from a mere 5% to almost 11% per.

Apart from causing preeclampsia, DNA fragmentation in sperm is also known to increase the risk for prematurity. Most premature babies experience respiratory, neurological, and developmental complications. Therefore, some degree of early intervention might be important for prospective parents.

Some of the rarer, though serious complications include placental abruption, which is the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall and intrauterine growth restriction, a condition by which the baby does not grow normally in the womb. These conditions though rare are potentially catastrophic both to the mother and the child. Results from this study may help in establishing the contribution of the father in such pregnancies.

Further study into sperm DNA damage is of urgent interest with regard to its consequences for pregnancy outcomes. According to Professor Aleksander Giwercman of Lund University in the field of Reproductive Medicine, "the analysis of DFI should be introduced as routine test in all fertility clinics.". "It could give answers to couples who are having difficulties with infertility, but our latest result also shows that DFI analysis can be a method to identify high-risk pregnancies, explained Giwercman.

For many, DNA fragmentation in sperm is often treatable. Common causes are oxidative stress, age, smoking, being obese, and infections. Addressing these elements will likely reduce DNA damage in sperm for men, raising the chances for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Overall, the study importance should take into consideration paternal as well as maternal health towards reaching for a healthy pregnancy. Though DNA fragmentation in the sperm is supposed to increase the risk factors for complications in pregnancies, the advances into novel treatment approaches and tests are likely to alleviate complications in many families. Thus the findings of this study offer optimism and pave a pathway to more holistic fertility treatments in the future.

India is better prepared to deal with potential Hantavirus outbreaks due to the healthcare infrastructure and quarantine systems established during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Dr NK Ganguly, former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

In an exclusive interview with HealthandMe, Dr Ganguly said that while isolated cases of Hantavirus have appeared in India in the past, especially in crowded peri-urban and urban settings in Kerala, large-scale outbreaks have largely been reported in countries such as China, Argentina, the UK, and the US.

Dr Ganguly said that India's healthcare system significantly improved after the deadly COVID pandemic.

“India is overprepared in a way that during the COVID-19, our system, even at the district level or in much more rural settings, got established,” he said.

He pointed out that hospitals now have access to ECMO, BPAP systems, ventilators, and oxygen management facilities to curb the spread in case of an outbreak.

Dr Ganguly also mentioned the availability of antiviral drugs and experimental vaccine efforts that could potentially be explored for hantavirus treatment. “There are some crude vaccines which are made here also,” he said.

He added that India’s quarantine systems and public health drills developed during COVID-19 would also help contain future outbreaks.

“I think India will be okay because of the sheer transmission dynamics of this virus,” he said.

Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease that primarily gets transmitted through contact with infected rodents or exposure to their urine, droppings, and saliva, though rare cases of person-to-person transmission have also been reported.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 11 cases — including three deaths — have been confirmed so far. However, additional suspected and confirmed cases are likely to emerge across countries.

Also read: Hantavirus Can Linger Indoors, Spread Through Contaminated Dust, Says Infectious Disease Expert

Importance Of One Health

The One Health approach is critical in understanding and containing outbreaks like hantavirus, Dr Ganguly said.

The One Health approach, which integrates human health, animal health, and environmental monitoring, is also crucial to target the emerging infectious diseases, he noted.

Further, the noted microbiologist stressed the importance of strengthening surveillance across humans, animals, and the environment.

He explained that disease surveillance requires collaboration between bird specialists, forest experts, environmental scientists, and mammologists, especially for tracking zoonotic infections such as avian flu and hantavirus.

“In avian flu, birds follow special migration routes, so we needed bird specialists, forest experts, environmental experts, and mammologists,” Dr Ganguly said.

The expert also highlighted the growing challenge posed by shrinking spaces between humans and animals and the role of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in emerging disease threats.

“Animal health is equally important. We need to maintain them, track their movements, and do surveillance,” he said.

Need To Track Climate

Dr Ganguly also warned that rising temperatures and shrinking boundaries between humans and animals could increase the risk of future infections.

“It is an environmental infection. With the rise of temperature, more hantavirus infections occur,” he told HealthandMe.

Why India Must Boost Surveillance

Calling surveillance one of the most critical tools in outbreak prevention, he urged India to strengthen monitoring systems for animals, vectors, and humans alike.

“We need to set up a dedicated surveillance for hantavirus in India, and we need to track hantavirus,” he said.

Dr Ganguly explained that to date, hantavirus cases in India have been detected accidentally during testing for respiratory infections or flu-like illnesses using advanced panel-based diagnostic systems.

“Like now these days, what happens is that when you are getting respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms, they put up a test system which is known as bio-fire or a thing like that which identifies 26 panels and gives the CT scoring of that, so from there, hantavirus emerged,” he said.

He added that India should strengthen surveillance tools and continue monitoring infections in animals, vectors, and humans alike.

Prateek Yadav (38), the son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, died due to a massive blockage in the blood vessels of the lungs, leading to a collapse of the heart and respiratory system, as revealed in the postmortem examination report.

According to the autopsy findings, the provisional cause of death was recorded as “cardiorespiratory collapse due to massive pulmonary thromboembolism.” In simple terms, doctors said a large blood clot had blocked blood flow to the lungs, causing his heart and breathing to fail.

What Is Pulmonary Thromboembolism?

An embolism is any object (clot, fat, air, tissue) traveling through the bloodstream that becomes stuck, blocking blood flow. A thromboembolism is a specific type of embolism where that travelling object is a piece of a blood clot (thrombus) that has broken off from its original site.

It is a life-threatening condition that happens when a blood vessel in the lungs is blocked by a blood clot.

The common symptoms may include:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Chest pain
• Cough up blood

The blood clot starts in a deep vein in the leg and travels to the lung in most cases. Rarely, the clot forms in a vein in another part of the body, noted Mayo Clinic. When a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in the body, it is called a deep vein thrombosis or DVT.

Other symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:

• irregular heartbeat
• lightheadedness or dizziness
• excessive sweating
• fever
• leg pain or swelling, usually in the back of the lower leg
• clammy or discolored skin

Also read: Your Desk Jobs May Impact Fertility, Not Just Waistlines, Say Experts

Lung Infection Claims Life of Karnataka Minister

Meanwhile, Karnataka's Planning and Statistics Minister, D. Sudhakar (66), passed away after a prolonged battle with a lung infection.

The most common lung infections that people experience are pneumonia, bronchitis, tuberculosis, influenza-related infections, and severe viral illnesses.

Experts noted that these lung infections cause fluid or pus to fill the air sacs, which prevents oxygen from entering the bloodstream.

"What may initially appear as a routine cough, fever, or chest infection can progress to severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis, or permanent lung damage,” Dr. Vikas Mittal, Director - Pulmonologist, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe.

Warning signs include

• worsening breathlessness,
• persistent fever,
• chest pain,
• bluish lips,
• confusion,
• falling oxygen levels should never be ignored.

Dr. Nikhil Rajvanshi, Consultant - Paediatric Pulmonology, Rainbow Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe that children may be more at risk of pulmonary infections as they can become dangerous quickly because their lungs and immune systems are still developing.

Common illnesses such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, influenza, and other viral infections may rapidly lead to breathing difficulty, low oxygen levels, dehydration, and respiratory distress. Infants, premature babies, malnourished children, and those with asthma or congenital disorders are at higher risk of complications.

The experts called for

• early medical evaluation
• timely treatment
• vaccination
• good hygiene practices,
• quit smoking,
• maintaining immunity.

US President Donald Trump's attempt to clarify the meaning of "sea" while discussing drug smuggling has again raised concerns of dementia.

While the 79-year-old President rambled between “sea and see” in the middle of discussing drug problems in the US, social media went rife with the rumor of his cognitive decline.

"Drugs coming by sea meaning coming by water. A lot of people don’t know what I mean by sea. They think I mean vision. I’m talking about sea like the sea," he said. He was speaking at the White House, while hosting law enforcement officials for a dinner in the Rose Garden in celebration of National Police Week.

His comments were called out by social media as his apparently worsening cognitive capabilities.

"When he says 'a lot of people' he means 'me.' His cognitive issues are a crisis," one social media user declared, while another admitted, "He’s getting worse."

Trump has spoken on sea and see, during a maternal healthcare event last week, where he also referred to himself as the “father of fertility.”

Earlier, speaking at the White House Small Business Summit, Trump said he has taken the Montreal Cognitive Assessment three times and “aced each one,” claiming a doctor told him it was the first time they had seen a perfect score, The Daily Beast reported.

The US President said he answered the test questions easily, suggesting he is cognitively in good condition—a claim that critics have repeatedly questioned.

“The first question is very easy,” he said. “You have a lion, a bear, an alligator, and a—what’s another good…? A squirrel. Which is the squirrel?” He added that the difficulty increases as the test progresses. “By the time you get to the middle, they’re very tough.”

However, the test’s creator, Canadian neurologist Ziad Nasreddine, has challenged Trump’s claims. “It wasn’t designed to be a test of IQ,” he told nine.com.au. “It was designed to assess normal cognitive performance.”

Experts Claim Trump's Mental Health Is Deteriorating

Read More: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

A group of medical experts, including neurologists, psychiatrists, and other physicians, has sounded the alarm over what they’ve described as Trump’s deteriorating mental health.

The experts have not specifically examined Trump face-to-face. But, they analyzed Trump's statements and behaviors over the past year, and stated that he’s “mentally unfit” and must be removed from office “with the greatest urgency” amid the escalating tension around the world, according to their statement published in The BMJ.

“It is our professional opinion that they (Trump's statements) reflect a rapidly worsening, reality-untethered, increasingly dangerous decline,” the experts said.

They also listed some of Trump’s observable serious medical issues, such as “Marked deterioration in cognitive functioning, evidenced by disorganized and tangential speech, rambling digressions, factual confusions, unexplained sudden changes of course in strategic matters, both national and international, episodes of apparent somnolence during critical public proceedings.”

Read More:PCOD vs PCOS vs PMOS: Why The Condition’s Name Has Changed Over Time

What The White House Says

The White House has continued to say that Trump remains in strong health.

In October 2025, White House physician Captain Sean Barbabella said the president “continues to demonstrate excellent overall health,” AOl.com reported.

"President Trump’s sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility stand in stark contrast to what we saw during the last administration when Democrats and other lunatics intentionally covered up Joe Biden’s serious mental and physical decline from the American people,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle was quoted as saying to The Daily Beast.