Katelyn Yates, a 20-year-old nursing assistant from Illinois, visited a hospital on April 1, expecting to get treatment for her sore throat. Instead, she received life-changing news that she was pregnant with quadruplets. Ms Yates shared her incredible story with Today, recounting how her hospital visit started with throat pain that led doctors to recommend an X-ray. As a precautionary measure, doctors also asked Yates to take a pregnancy test before the X-ray, since radiation can be harmful to a fetus. Surprisingly, her pregnancy test came back positive, and her human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels were “off the charts,” indicating multiple fetuses.

Notably, hCG is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy, detectable by blood tests around 11 days after conception and urine tests about 12-14 days after conception. Typically, hCG levels double every 72 hours, peaking between 8-11 weeks of pregnancy before levelling off.

Ms Yates thought it was an April Fool’s Day joke at first, but reality soon set in. His fiance, Julian Bueker, was overjoyed when he heard the news, which helped calm her nerves. As Yates’ pregnancy advanced, complications arose, leading to a diagnosis of preeclampsia, a condition characterised by high blood pressure after 20 weeks. She endured debilitating symptoms, including difficulty breathing, liver complications and kidney issues. 

At 28 weeks and 4 days, Yates underwent an emergency C-section at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, delivering quadruplets on October 17. The smallest baby was Elizabeth, who weighed 1 pound 2 ounces; while Max, the largest of the bunch, weighed 2 pounds, 6 ounces.

However, all four babies are doing remarkably well, gaining weight and growing. “They’re doing phenomenal. They are gaining weight and growing. Elizabeth is about six grams away from reaching two pounds,” she told Today. 

The odds of conceiving spontaneous quadruplets are less than one in 500,000, according to the Journal of Family and Reproductive Health. As per the Mayo Clinic, various factors contribute to premature birth. A woman’s previous experiences with pregnancy, such as having had a premature birth or abortion, can increase the risk. Additionally, underlying health issues like uterine abnormalities, high blood pressure, and diabetes can also play a role. 

A Thai woman has been experiencing nearly two decades of constant, stinging pain after a suture needle was left in her vagina post-childbirth, according to a report in SCMP. The 36-year-old woman from the Cho Airong district in the Narathiwat province has been suffering severe abdominal discomfort since then but unable to find any treatment. She approached the village headman Aruman Waenogi, earlier this month, who in turn contacted a non-profit organisation (NGO) named Pavena Foundation for Children and Women for help.

The NGO, dedicated to assisting victims of abuse. rape, harassment and human trafficking took note of the issue and started coordinating with the Narathiwat Provincial Public Health Office.

According to the NGO, 18 years ago, the nurse dropped a needle in the victim’s vagina when she was receiving stitches. The doctor attempted to fish it out using his fingers but could not retrieve it. Worried about the excessive bleeding, the doctor opted to close the wound, leaving the needle stuck inside. It wasn’t until 2023 that the woman, troubled by the pain, went to have an X-ray at a government hospital and discovered the needle.

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No surgery yet

As of the last update, the woman had no surgery officially scheduled but was required to visit the hospital four times a month for regular monitoring. “Currently, the young woman still has to travel to the hospital about 3-4 times a month. Even though she uses the gold card for treatment, there are travel expenses,” the NGO stated.

The NGO has contacted the local security office to arrange for hospital visits and pledged to continue following up on her care. It is also unclear as to whether she will take legal action against the hospital and doctor who left the needle inside her, leading to lifelong problems.

Microplastics can be passed from pregnant mothers to their unborn offspring, new research has revealed. Tiny plastic pieces are actually living in the lungs, hearts, livers, kidneys, and brains of newborn mice exposed through inhalation of polyamide-12, or PA-12, researchers from Rutgers University reveal in a new study.

Through this research, it is indicated that during pregnancy, the microplastics can pass through the placenta and may expose the developing fetus. Even though this fact clearly indicates exposure of such offspring to unknown long-term health consequences, the presence of these plastics in such life-saving organs is very alarming.

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According to the Rutgers Health study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, Researchers have long understood that micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs), which enter the environment through oxidation and natural degradation of consumer products, are easily deposited in the human body through inhalation, absorption and diet. Experts also understand that these pollutants can cross the placental barrier and deposit in fetal tissues.

What’s been unclear is whether these particles remained in tissue long after birth. The Rutgers Health researchers found that they do, at least in rats. Their data that could have implications for human health.

“Nobody wants plastic in their liver,” said Phoebe A Stapleton, an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, and the study’s senior author. “Now that we know it’s there – as well as in other organs – the next step is to understand why and what that means.”

As per a release by the Rutgers University, to assess the persistence of micro- and nanoplastic particles in neonatal tissue following maternal exposure, Stapleton and colleagues exposed six rats to aerosolized food-grade plastic powder for 10 days during pregnancy.

Rodents are good test subjects for this type of study, Stapleton said, because humans and rodents both possess a hemochorial placenta, meaning that maternal and fetal blood don’t come into direct contact during circulation.

Two weeks after birth, two newborn rats – one male and one female – were tested for micro- and nanoplastic exposure. In both cases, the same type of plastic that the mothers inhaled during pregnancy were found in the offspring’s lung, liver, kidney, heart and brain tissue. No plastics were found in a control group.

Stapleton said the findings are one more piece of evidence illustrating the potential dangers of micro- and nanoplastics in the environment.

“These results raise concerns for the toxicological impacts associated with MNPs exposure, maternal-fetal health, and systemic MNPs particle deposition,” the researchers wrote.

New Delhi:

About one in 10 women who acquire COVID-19 infection during pregnancy are likely to suffer longer from long-term COVID symptoms like fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained in routine life, finds a study.

COVID acquired during pregnancy is known to be much more dangerous as it can lead to stillbirths and preterm births.

The study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, included 1,500 participants who already had Covid during pregnancy and reported the symptoms after six months.

Of these 9.3 per cent of people reported experiencing long-term symptoms. These included fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and feeling drained or exhausted by routine activities.

“This is an important study for the pregnancy and postpartum times are the most vulnerable and this study gives insights on the linkage between Covid and pregnancy,” said Dr David Goff, division director for the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US.

The researchers also called on obstetricians “to be vigilant” because the symptoms of long-term COVID can overlap with the symptoms of pregnancy itself.

To ensure that the reported long Covid symptoms weren’t symptoms of pregnancy, a secondary study was done on people who reported symptoms more than 12 weeks after giving birth. The results confirmed the findings.

As the prevalence of long Covid in pregnant populations is high the researchers called on health practitioners to keep an eye out for its symptoms.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Supreme Court has allowed a 14-year-old rape survivor to terminate her 30-week pregnancy, overturning an order by the Bombay High Court. The court called it an “exceptional case” and allowed the abortion on the basis of a hospital report.

Indian law requires the court’s permission to undergo abortion beyond 24 weeks of pregnancy.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that while undergoing abortion at this stage involves some risk, medical experts in this case have opined that the threat to life is not higher than the risk of full-term delivery.

“We will allow the medical termination since she is 14 and it is a rape case and this is an exceptional case,” the CJI said.

The teenager’s mother had appealed in the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court refused to allow her abortion on April 4.

A top court bench, comprising the CJI and Justice JB Pardiwala, held an urgent hearing last Friday in this matter. Stating that the medical report that the high court relied upon regarding the sexual assault failed to assess the physical and mental condition of the teenager, it ordered a fresh check-up at a Maharashtra hospital.

The medical board at a Sion hospital opined in favour of the abortion. Based on it, the court allowed the abortion by invoking Article 142 of the Constitution, which empowers it to pass an order needed to ensure justice in any case pending before it.

“The medical board at Sion has opined that continuation of pregnancy against will of minor may impact negatively on the physical and mental well-being of the minor, while some risk is involved, the medical board opined that threat to life is not higher than the risk of full-term delivery,” said the Chief Justice.

Passing the order, the court noted that the teenager was unaware of her pregnancy till a very late stage. The court was also informed that a rape case had been filed in this matter along with charges under the stringent POCSO law.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 2021 permits medical termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks with the opinion of a registered medical practitioner, and up to 24 weeks in some cases. In cases beyond that upper limit, one has to approach the court.

A couple in Louisiana, United States, welcomed “spontaneous triplets”, the term used for naturally conceiving identical triplets, a rare occurrence that happens to one out of one million to 200 million pregnancies. Haley and Matthew Cordaro gave birth to the trio at Willis-Knighton South & the Center for Women’s Health in late August, as per a press release. 

Haley went into labour at 31 weeks, resulting in the preterm birth of their children. All three of them weighed less than three pounds and have been in the hospital since their birth. The couple, who are also parents to a three-year-old daughter Kennedy, told People Magazine, “We were so fortunate and blessed to have made it 32 weeks and to have delivered three healthy babies considering all the potential risks when pregnant with multiples. We know we will have some challenges ahead but are ecstatic for our new life with the girls.”

Dr Gerald Brent Whitton, a NICU doctor, who has been taking care of Claire, Ella and Lily Codaro said in the press release, “They have done very well. It has been a straightforward and uncomplicated stay. As we get closer to the babies’ release, we will get the parents up here and get them used to taking care of all three at the same time.” However, the girls have to pass three tests, as per the hospital. They must have any breathing problems resolved and should be able to maintain their temperature in their crib. The last test requires them to be able to eat consistently. 

Hospital authorities stated that Matthew and Haley were “surprised” to discover they were expecting triplets during an ultrasound check. They added that neither side of the couple had a history of multiple births. Mr Cordaro said that they were in “absolute disbelief” when they heard the news and their feelings shifted from happiness to nervousness. “Our feelings then shifted towards worry due to the pregnancy being very high risk in nature. Once we got to the second trimester and on, our doctor visits continually brought great news,” he told the outlet. 

When the trio turned a month old, the mother posted an update on Facebook and said that they were gaining weight and would be home soon. “Happy one month to these little angel babies! They have been working on bottle feeds & gaining weight and should be able to come home in a few short weeks!” Ms Haley wrote on the social media platform in September. In another post, she wrote that her three-year-old is ” just smitten with her little baby sisters!”

New Delhi:

In strong observations while hearing a woman’s request to terminate a 26-week pregnancy, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked if the petitioner wanted permission to kill the child through a court order.

The Supreme Court has asked the woman’s counsel and the centre’s lawyer to speak to her before the next hearing tomorrow morning.

The three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of India is hearing the married woman’s petition for the permission to abort the 26-week pregnancy. A mother of two, the woman has said she is suffering from depression and is not in a position to raise a third child, emotionally or financially.

On October 9, the court had allowed her to proceed with the pregnancy. The centre then sought a recall of the order, citing the advice of a panel of doctors at AIIMS Delhi against the abortion. Yesterday, a two-judge bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice BV Nagarathna gave a split verdict. Following this, the Chief Justice of India-led bench took up the matter.

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court has placed on hold an order allowing the termination of a 26-week pregnancy after the government submitted a medical report indicating the foetus is “viable”, i.e., it shows signs of life and has a strong possibility of survival. The court, hearing a government plea to recall its order, said it wanted to hear from the woman before passing the new order.

The hearing is to resume at 2 pm.

The top court, which yesterday allowed the termination, was irked by the last-minute AIIMS report, and demanded to know why it had not been presented sooner. “Why only after our order? Why were they not candid earlier? Which court wants to stop a foetus with a heartbeat? Certainly not us, for heaven’s sake,” Justice Hima Kohli said.

On Tuesday, a different bench of the Supreme Court allowed the couple to abort their 26-week-old pregnancy after the petitioner argued that the woman, who is a mother of two children, is suffering from various health issues and from postnatal depression.

The woman said she is financially, emotionally and socially not in a position to raise a third child while she is already breastfeeding her second child.