Eight-month-old twins from Hayward Heath, West Sussex, recently met the surgeon who saved their lives even before they were born. The BBC reports how their mother, Katerina Ahouansou, at six months pregnant, during a routine scan, uncovered a serious issue with their development and blood supply.

Doctors diagnosed the twins with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome or TTTS. It is a condition where one twin received more blood and nourishment than the other due to uneven blood vessel distribution in the placenta. In case there is no medical intervention, it could be fatal for both the twins.

A Specialist Steps In

This is when Ahouansou was referred to Professor Kypros Nicolaides at King’s College Hospital in London. Professor Nicolaides is a pioneer in fetal medicine and he specializes in a laser procedure that redistributes blood supply between twins in cases of TTTS.

When Ahouansou was scanned, Nicolaides observed that one of the twins were significantly smaller than the other. "There was a very high chance that if we did not intervene, both twins could die," he recalled.

An Operation No Less Than A Miracle

The life-saving laser surgery was performed and within a week the doctors saw an improvement with the twin who was smaller in size. When the twins were born, they weighed 1.5kg and 1.7kg. To recognize the efforts by the surgeon, Ahouansou named them Kai Kypros and Asher Nicolas after Professor Kypros Nicolaides.

Ahouansou also expressed deep gratitude for the professor's expertise and called him "proof that miracles can be performed by people who are devotees to their profession."

Professor Kypros Nicolaides has been at King’s College Hospital since 1980 and is widely regarded as a leader in fetal medicine. His groundbreaking research and development of screening and surgical techniques have saved countless lives.

Through his dedication, Professor Nicolaides has given many families hope, demonstrating how medical advancements continue to improve survival rates for complex fetal conditions like TTTS.

More about Twin-to-twin Transfusion Syndrome

As per the John Hopkins Medicine, TTTS is a rare pregnancy condition that affects identical twins or other multiples. It happens in pregnancies where twins share one placenta and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb. These pregnancies are known as monochorionic.

Sometimes, the blood vessels in the placenta are unevenly distributed, causing an imbalance in blood flow between the twins. The donor twin loses more blood than it receives, leading to malnutrition and potential organ failure. Meanwhile, the recipient twin gets an excess of blood, putting strain on the heart and increasing the risk of cardiac complications.

Impact on the Donor Twin

The donor twin loses blood volume (hypovolemia), reducing kidney function and urine production. This leads to low amniotic fluid levels (oligohydramnios) or, in severe cases, a complete absence (anhydramnios). Without proper blood circulation, the donor twin faces cardiovascular issues, increasing the risk of death.

Impact on the Recipient Twin

The recipient twin experiences excess blood volume (hypervolemia), causing increased urination and excessive amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios). The overworked heart struggles to handle the surplus blood, leading to cardiovascular dysfunction, heart failure, and, in extreme cases, death.

Nutrition during pregnancy becomes very important. However, once the baby is born, the mother’s diet quietly gets pushed to the back of everyone’s priority. That is a big mistake.

The first six weeks post-birth is an extremely important time for the health of both the woman and her infant according to the WHO; post-natal health care is underemphasized. Delivery poses a lot of stress on the woman. Loss of blood, hormonal changes, healing of the tissue, disturbed sleep pattern and breastfeeding all require more intake of nutrition.

When “I’ll Eat Later” Becomes a Health Issue

Mothers do not eat regularly due to their babies’ feeding pattern, tiredness, or lack of help in the household. Some mothers start eating less food, thinking they will lose their baby weight quickly. This will cause them to lack proteins, iron, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, vitamin B12, and other vitamins that will be necessary during their recovery.

Anemia needs to be considered specifically for Indian women. NFHS-5 found that 52.2% of pregnant women between 15 and 49 years of age in India had anemia. It is also not resolved after giving birth when mothers started labour with an insufficient amount of iron or lost blood during labour.

Also read: Lindsay Clancy Trial: What Postpartum Psychosis Really Looks Like, From A Survivor

Breastfeeding Changes Nutritional Needs

Breastfeeding imposes extra requirements for energy. As per the CDC of USA, well-nourished lactating mothers require about 330 to 400 kilocalories extra per day than what they consumed before pregnancy.

It is not “eating for two,” but eating more nutritiously. Proper meals should comprise of proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits, milk or its alternative sources, nuts, seeds, and enough water. Iron, calcium, and Vitamin D supplements, as prescribed, should also be taken.

Recovery Needs a Care Plan Too

The recovery from childbirth needs to be considered in terms of medical recovery and not something that mothers do if they want to. Families can contribute by making sure that the new mother is eating regularly, has healthy foods at hand and that there is shared care giving to give her some time to eat and rest.

Exhaustion, dizziness, breathlessness, weakness or lack of appetite should not be brushed off as "normal postpartum symptoms". Having a healthy baby does not give reason for the mother to be forgotten. The fourth trimester is where recovery starts, not the point when mothers' care ends.

By Dr. Himani Sharma, Clinical Head and Senior Consultant – Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cocoon Hospital, Jaipur

A rare 19th century disease that was once seen in sailors has claimed the life of a six-year-old boy in Queensland, Australia. A severe vitamin C deficiency, which went undetected for a long time, seems to be the reason behind the child's unfortunate death.

Connor Dean passed in August 2024 at Queensland Children’s Hospital. Newly released findings from Deputy State Coroner, Stephanie Gallagher, concluded that severe vitamin C deficiency, consistent with scurvy, was the most likely factor in his death that happened following cardiac arrest.

The case has drawn attention as scurvy is now considered extremely rare in countries where fresh food is widely available. But it has not disappeared completely.

Most Severe Outcome Of Scurvy

Scurvy develops when the body does not get enough vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, for a prolonged period. Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, a protein that helps maintain blood vessels, skin, bones, cartilage, and other tissues.

When there is a severe deficiency, blood vessels and connective tissues can become fragile, leading to bleeding, inflammation and problems with wound healing.

In Connor's case, his symptoms initially did not indicate scurvy clearly. He developed knee pain, limping and a shuffling gait in July 2024. His symptoms were initially thought to possibly be related to a playground injury. Doctors also considered conditions like infection and leukaemia.

His health deteriorated further. Doctors observed that he developed a persistent rash, reduced blood flow to the brain, renal problems, multi-organ failure and sepsis.

Severe vitamin C deficiency eventually emerged as the condition that could connect many of these symptoms. The coroner found that Connor's death was associated with severe vitamin C deficiency consistent with scurvy.

Also read: US Newborns Are Missing A Crucial Vitamin K Shot Which Can Lead To Brain Bleeding

Why Was The Child Become Deficient In Vitamin C?

According to the coroner, Connor's paediatrician had raised concerns about his growth and nutrition due to his diet. By 2023, he had become a very fussy eater and was avoiding fruits or vegetables completely. His diet was described as containing foods like white bread, beef sausage, custard and chocolate.

His mother had also said that he was taking a multivitamin. However, the supplement he was taking was not the one his doctor had specifically recommended. The coroner also found that the product's label did not include vitamin C.

Does Scurvy Risk Exist Even Today?

Scurvy exists even today even though severe cases are uncommon. A child does not develop scurvy because they refuse to eat fruits and vegetables for a few days. Severe deficiency generally develops after prolonged inadequate vitamin C intake.

Children with highly restricted diets are in high-risk groups, especially when their food choices exclude most sources of vitamin C. The risk can also be greater when there are underlying medical or developmental challenges that affect eating.

Connor had Down syndrome and a congenital heart condition, along with prolonged concerns about his growth and diet.

Also read: UK Flu Jabs Begin For Children And Pregnant Women: What You Need To Know

What Are The Warning Signs Of Scurvy?

Early symptoms are not specific, which can make the condition difficult to recognise. Possible signs include:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Irritability
• Poor appetite
• Leg or joint pain
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Easy bruising
• Skin changes or small haemorrhages
• Poor wound healing
• Anaemia

As deficiency becomes severe, bleeding, tissue damage and serious complications can develop.

While modern food availability has made severe vitamin C deficiency uncommon, prolonged restrictive eating can still create serious nutritional gaps.

An analysis of health records from more than 1 million births found that the share of newborns whose parents refused the vitamin K shot rose by more than 57% during the first half of 2026. The rate increased from 5.2% to 8.1%, according to Reuters.

Vitamin K is a routine injection given to newborns within hours of birth. The number may sound like a small percentage but doctors are worried as vitamin K deficiency can cause sudden, potentially fatal bleeding in otherwise healthy babies, including bleeding inside the brain.

Why Do Newborns Need Vitamin K?

Newborns, however, are born very little vitamin K. Only small amounts cross the placenta during pregnancy, while the bacteria that help produce the vitamin have not yet become established in a newborn's intestine. Breast milk also contains very small amounts.

This leaves babies temporarily vulnerable to vitamin K deficiency bleeding, or VKDB. The standard vitamin K injection given after birth is meant to prevent that deficiency from becoming serious.

Also read: UK Flu Jabs Begin For Children And Pregnant Women: What You Need To Know

What Happens If A Baby Does Not Get The Shot?

The most concerning part about VKDB is that parents may have no warning that something is wrong with the baby. Bleeding can occur internally, including in the intestines or brain. According to the CDC, around 30% to 60% of late VKDB cases involve bleeding inside the brain.

Late VKDB can occur from one week to six months after birth, often in babies who are born completely healthy. The CDC says newborns who do not receive the vitamin K shot are 81 times more likely to develop severe bleeding than babies who receive it.

Possible symptoms can include unusual sleepiness, irritability, seizures, vomiting, bruising or a bulging soft spot on the baby's head. But importantly, most cases have no warning signs before a life-threatening bleed occurs.

Also read: US Woman Gives Birth To Naturally Conceived Triplets Weighing Nearly 19 Pounds

Why Are More US Parents Refusing It?

Reuters' analysis found that refusals accelerated sharply this year. Pediatricians and public-health experts linked the trend to growing mistrust of medical interventions and misinformation, amid other changes in US public-health messaging.

The CDC has historically recommended a vitamin K injection at birth, with the practice dating back decades. Its guidance says the shot is the most reliable way to prevent VKDB.

Doctors Are Concerned About The Current Trend

The concern among pediatricians is that if refusal rates continue climbing, VKDB could stop being a rare neonatal emergency and start appearing more often in hospitals.

For a newborn who looks perfectly healthy, the risk can seem invisible and not so concerning. The problem is that the bleeding the vitamin K shot is meant to prevent can also be invisible until it becomes a medical emergency.