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.

Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has announced that she is expecting her third child with her husband Philip Schneider, at the age of 52.

Swank was 48 when she gave birth to twins, daughter Aya and son Ohm, in April 2023.

Sharing a video on Instagram of her husband and their 3-year-old twins dancing in the dark with neon glow sticks taped to their clothes, Swank wrote, “A lot of people have been asking what project I’m doing next; this one releases in December.”

The video also revealed Swank’s growing belly, with a tiny baby shape outlined in glow sticks.

Hilary Swank’s Journey To Motherhood

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Swank and entrepreneur Philip Schneider married in August 2018 after dating for a year and a half. They welcomed their twins in April 2023, when the actress was 48.

“It wasn't easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it,” Swank wrote on Instagram at the time, alongside a photo of herself holding the newborns.

Swank has also spoken about embracing the physical and personal changes that come with motherhood.

“For me, it’s not about bouncing back to our pre-baby bodies but rather bouncing forward into our new bodies and selves,” she told Women’s Health last year.

What To Know About Pregnancy After 50

Also read: High BP in Pregnancy Linked to 42,000 Maternal Deaths, 500,000+ Stillbirths, Newborn Deaths: WHO

Pregnancy at age 35 or older is medically referred to as “advanced maternal age,” according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Women who become pregnant later in life face increased risks of complications, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, miscarriage and preterm birth.

As maternal age increases, doctors may recommend closer monitoring during pregnancy. This can include screening for chromosomal abnormalities, additional ultrasounds and more frequent prenatal visits and testing as the pregnancy progresses.

“Pregnancy in the 50s is possible, but it requires careful medical supervision. With advancing maternal age, the risks of miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, preterm birth and stillbirth increase,” Dr. Tripti Raheja, Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, told HealthandMe.

Dr Prampreet Kaur Ghuman, Senior Consultant- Obestriction and Gynecologist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Mohali added late motherhood requires careful consideration of both maternal and foetal health.

“By this age, most women have reached menopause, making natural conception extremely unlikely”.

She noted most pregnancies achieved at this stage often involve assisted reproductive technology (ART), using donor eggs from younger women or embryos frozen earlier in life. “While younger donor eggs can significantly reduce the risk of age-related chromosomal abnormalities, they do not reverse the ageing of the mother’s body,” she told HealthandMe.

Planning A Pregnancy After 50

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The experts advised women planning a pregnancy to consult an obstetrician and fertility specialist for a preconception assessment. This should include an evaluation of existing health conditions and available fertility options.

"For women contemplating pregnancy later in life, planning should begin with a detailed evaluation of cardiovascular health, blood pressure, blood sugar, existing medical conditions and overall fitness for pregnancy," Dr Prampreet said.

It is equally important to discuss the potential risks, the likelihood of complications and the demands of parenting over the long term.

Taking folic acid as advised, maintaining a balanced diet, exercising appropriately, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and reviewing medications with a doctor are important steps.

Once pregnant, early prenatal care, recommended genetic screening and regular medical monitoring can help identify complications and support better outcomes.

A Welsh mother whose newborn daughter nearly died after contracting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated to protect their babies.

Jo Goldsmith said she was told to “prepare for the worst” after her daughter Phoebe contracted RSV just five days after birth, the BBC reported. Phoebe, now four, developed breathing difficulties and was admitted to a hospital’s high-dependency unit.

Goldsmith said the vaccine was not available when she was pregnant but that she “definitely would have had it.”

“I wouldn't want any family to go through what we went through,” she said.

RSV vaccinations for pregnant women were introduced in Wales in September 2024.

“She was five days old, she had quite a lot of congestion... and we noticed quite quickly that she seemed to be breathing very fast and was struggling,” Goldsmith said.

What Is RSV?

Also read: Flu Vaccine: Why October Is A Good Time To Get Your Family Vaccinated

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that typically causes cold-like symptoms. However, it can lead to serious illness, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, particularly in infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.

Almost every child contracts RSV by the age of two. The virus can cause severe illness in infants, with up to three in every 100 infected infants requiring hospitalization.

Maternal vaccination with RSVpreF (Abrysvo) helps protect newborns against RSV during their first months of life. However, uptake has remained relatively low in the US and Europe since the vaccine was introduced in 2023, according to a study published last week in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.

In the UK, the RSV vaccine is routinely offered to pregnant women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to help protect their babies. It is also offered to eligible older adults, including everyone aged 75 and over. Older adults generally need only one dose, while women are advised to receive the vaccine during every pregnancy.

Maternal RSV vaccination allows protective antibodies to pass from the mother to the baby before birth. More than 30 countries have introduced maternal RSV vaccination, either as a stand-alone intervention or alongside other preventive measures, such as infant immunization.

How Does RSV Spread?

RSV spreads through respiratory secretions, including saliva and mucus, and through contact with contaminated surfaces. In the US, infections typically occur from late fall to early spring, although seasonal patterns vary by region.

What Are The Symptoms Of RSV?

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RSV symptoms usually appear four to six days after exposure. Early signs often resemble a common cold and include:

• Runny nose and sneezing
• Cough
• Decreased appetite
• Irritability and tiredness in infants

Babies may also develop rapid or labored breathing. In some cases, the infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract, causing bronchiolitis or pneumonia.

Parents should seek urgent medical attention if a baby has difficulty breathing, shows signs of dehydration or becomes unusually unresponsive. Severe breathing difficulties require emergency care.

Women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy face a higher risk of death, while their babies are also at risk of serious illness and mortality, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, which include pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, affect millions of women every year and complicate an estimated 10–15% of pregnancies worldwide. They account for around 16% of maternal deaths globally, resulting in an estimated 42,000 deaths each year, as well as more than 500,000 stillbirths and newborn deaths.

“Pre-eclampsia can develop in any pregnancy. Whether it becomes fatal depends on whether a woman's blood pressure was checked in time, and whether quality emergency care was within reach when it turned severe,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health.

WHO Launches Global Roadmap

Also read: 16 Million Indians Die Due To Hypertension Every Year: AIIMS Doc

To tackle hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, WHO today launched a new global roadmap at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Global Conference.

The roadmap brings together research, medicines, clinical guidance, health systems and political action so that a woman’s chances of surviving pregnancy and having a baby do not depend on where she lives.

It highlights a gap between the scale of the problem and the lack of medicines specifically developed and approved by regulators to prevent or treat pre-eclampsia or eclampsia.

Research investment has largely focused on diagnostics, with chronic underinvestment in new preventive and treatment options.

The roadmap also addresses gaps in blood pressure checks, medicines and emergency care. In many countries, women still lack reliable access to basic blood-pressure measurement, urine protein testing and essential medicines, including aspirin, antihypertensives and magnesium sulfate.

Weak referral systems, shortages of trained health workers and limited emergency obstetric services can further delay life-saving care.

Read More: World Heart Day: You Feel Healthy. But Plaque May Already Be Building In Your Arteries In Your 20s

Women In Poorer Countries Face Higher Risks

In low- and middle-income countries, gaps in antenatal care, medicines, diagnostics, trained health workers and emergency services mean women are more likely to develop severe complications or die.

Women affected by poverty, humanitarian crises, geographic isolation and other challenges face particularly high risks.

How Pregnancy Hypertension Affects Mothers And Babies

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Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy include:

• Chronic Hypertension: High blood pressure before pregnancy or before 20 weeks.
• Gestational Hypertension: New high blood pressure after 20 weeks without protein in urine.
• Preeclampsia-Eclampsia: High blood pressure after 20 weeks with protein in urine or organ damage; eclampsia involves seizures.
• Superimposed Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia developing in a woman with chronic hypertension.

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are major causes of maternal death and severe illness worldwide. They contribute to stillbirth, preterm birth, newborn mortality and morbidity, and health-system costs.

Pre-eclampsia can also have consequences for mothers long after childbirth. Women affected by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy face increased risks later in life of chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke and kidney disease.

Children exposed during pregnancy can face increased risks associated with preterm birth and longer-term cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

WHO Calls For Coordinated Action

WHO is asking governments, funders, researchers, health professionals, industry, civil society and development partners to align investment and action around one goal: ensuring that proven interventions and future innovations reach the women and babies who need them most.

The WHO roadmap sets a shared vision and coordinated actions across five areas: research and innovation; norms and standards; access to health products; implementation; and advocacy and accountability.

It aims to accelerate progress towards ending preventable maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity and stillbirth associated with hypertensive disorders, while contributing to SDG targets 3.1 and 3.2.