Twin to twin transfusion syndrome explained as Jesy Nelson undergoes procedure

Jesy Nelson, 33, shared just days ago that she has been experiencing “complications” due to being pregnant with identical twins. She told fans at the time that she was pre-stage twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), which affects identical twins who share a placenta, and said her symptoms, such as shortness of breath, had become “worse”.

On Saturday (8 March), the singer, and her partner Zion Foster, 26, revealed in a video message on Instagram that they were at hospital awaiting a procedure to give their unborn children “the best chance of surviving”. According to the Twins Trust, twin to twin transfusion is a “rare but life-threatening condition that affects 10 to 15 percent of identical twins that share a placenta”, and it “can have serious consequences”.

The condition arises from abnormal blood vessel connections in the twins ‘ placenta, causing an uneven blood flow between them. This results in one twin, called the donor, transferring excess blood to the other, known as the recipient, leading to a disparity in blood volume. The treatment choice depends on gestational age, severity (stages I–V of TTTS), and overall health of both twins.

Jesy explained the condition to fans, telling them: “So we are having identical twins, which is so exciting. We’re just like… we actually can’t believe it. But unfortunately, there are complications that come with having identical… having identical twins.

” The type of twins we are having are called Mono/Di twins, and with that, so normally, most twins will have two placentas that they feed off of. But when you have Mono/Di twins, that means your twins live off one placenta, which can lead to lots of complications. One of them being one baby might take all the nutrients, the other might. Which is really awful to say, but could lead to both babies dying and at the moment, I am currently pre stage TTTS, which is twin to twin transfusion, and I’m being monitored very closely. “

Jesy revealed at the time that she has to be” scanned twice a week, “before sharing:” Every time I’ve gone it’s got a little bit worse. “She however added:” But we are just hoping and praying for the best. We feel like so blessed that we’ve been given twins but it’s just really sad that unfortunately it does come with its complications, which we had no idea about. “

The former Little Mix member said that herself and Zion wanted to raise awareness. She said:” We honestly had no clue that this kinda thing happens when you have twins and we just really wanna raise awareness about this because there’s so many people that don’t know about this. “

She concluded the video by asking fans for their prayers and saying that she wanted to keep them updated. Jesy said:” We just wanted to update you guys. Keep you in the loop with what’s going on. So yeah just pray for us please. Thank you. “

Jesy and Zion have been met with supportive messages from fans over the post, which was shared on both of their Instagram accounts with the caption:” TTTS update. “Fans expressed well wishes in the comment section.

Jesy’s pregnancy updates have raised awareness around TTTS and monochorionic Diamniotic (MCDA) twins. According to Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust, TTTS occurs in around 10-15% of pregnancies to twins that share a placenta. It states that if no treatment is performed, there is an 80% chance of losing at least one baby – adding that laser for TTTS is the considered most effective treatment. That treatment is said to provide a 50% chance of taking home both babies, and a 75% chance of taking home one or both babies.

Fans were first told of Jesy’s pregnancy on January 12, when she announced that she was expecting twins in a post on Instagram. The post included a photo of herself and Zion, with him cradling her baby bump whilst stood behind her. Alongside the photo, Jesy teased:” She’s eating for 3 now. “They were met with an outpouring of well wishes on the platform, with fans and fellow celebrities congratulating them over the news.

If you or somebody you know is in a similar position to Jesy and Zion, Twins Trust are on hand to offer support to families with twins, triplets and more.

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at childbereavementuk. org or you can call them on 0800 02 888 40.

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Source: Mirror