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Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
When Shilpa Shetty Kundra opened up about suffering from an autoimmune condition: ‘I had a couple of miscarriages'
Shilpa Shetty Kundra has often been candid about life with her followers and fans. In a similar vein, the actor once opened up about suffering from APLA, or Antiphospholipid Antibodies, a group of antibodies that increase the risk of blood clots, due to which she sustained miscarriages before opting for surrogacy for the birth of her second child in 2020. 'After Viaan, I did want to have another child for the longest time. But I suffered from an autoimmune disease called APLA, and that came into play every time I got pregnant. So I had a couple of miscarriages, so it was a genuine issue,' she told Pinkvilla in 2020. 'I didn't want Viaan to grow up as a single child, because I'm also one of two, and I know how important it is to have a sibling. Coming from that thought, I did explore other ideas as well, but that didn't pan out well. At a time when I wanted to adopt, I had put in my name, and everything was underway. But then, the Christian missionary shut down because they had a tiff with CARA. I waited for nearly four years, and then I was so irritated and we decided to try the surrogacy route,' said Shilpa Shetty. But what exactly is ALPA, and how does it affect a woman's chances of full-term pregnancy? Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, explained that APLA is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks normal proteins in the blood, leading to abnormal blood clotting. 'This condition becomes especially concerning, mainly during pregnancy, as it can cause clots in the placenta, reducing blood flow to the baby. Unfortunately, this causes repeated miscarriages, stillbirths, or complications like preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Women with APLA often don't realise they have it until they experience recurrent pregnancy losses or unexplained blood clots,' said Dr Surabhi. Dr Rashmi Niphadkar, fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Baner, Pune, explained that there may be issues with the embryo getting implanted in the uterus, and women with APLA may also have low quantities and quality of eggs. 'In men, the antibodies may have been linked to penile and testicular abnormalities,' said Dr Rashmi. Diagnosis is done through blood tests. 'Early diagnosis of APLA is critical, and this becomes crucial especially when planning for pregnancy. If women are repeatedly having miscarriages, it is ideal to consult a fertility specialist who can further check if any autoimmune disorder test is needed,' said Dr Rashmi. With proper treatment consisting of blood thinners, many women with APLA can conceive successfully and fulfill the dream of motherhood, emphasised Dr Surabhi. 'Moreover, women should keep in mind that it is necessary to inform their doctor about any history of miscarriage, clotting, or autoimmune conditions. Close monitoring and early diagnosis can make a big difference and help with successful conception,' Dr Surabhi noted. Women with APLA should be under the care of a high-risk pregnancy specialist to ensure both mother and baby stay healthy. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
New York Post
02-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
LA residents start to rebuild months after wildfires destroy Pacific Palisades
Nearly four months after wildfires reduced thousands of Los Angeles-area homes to rubble and ash, some residents are starting to rebuild. In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, construction workers recently began placing wooden beams to frame a house on a lot where only a charred fireplace remains standing. In the seaside city of Malibu and foothills neighborhood of Altadena, many land parcels where homes once stood are being cleared of debris. Hundreds of homeowners have sought city or county approval for new home designs and other permits to eventually rebuild or repair damaged homes, though few have gotten the green light to break ground. 9 In the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, construction workers recently began placing wooden beams to frame a house following the wildfires earlier this year. AP Some 17,000 homes, businesses and other structures burned to the ground in the Jan. 7 fires. It's uncertain how much will be rebuilt. Many homeowners will not be able to afford it, even those with insurance. Some are still trying to figure out whether it's safe to return to their properties, given limited data on the degree to which toxins from the fires, including lead and asbestos, may have permeated their land. Roughly 400 land parcels are already for sale in the fire-ravaged areas. Facing overwhelming loss and the chaos that comes with sudden displacement, those looking to rebuild must navigate an often confusing and time-consuming process. In most cases, it will take years for them to rebuild. 9 While some homeowners are navigating how to finance rebuilding and trying to return home safely, about 400 land parcels are for sale in the fire-ravaged areas. AP LA issued its first building permit nearly two months after the fires started. It took more than seven months before the first building permit was issued following the Woolsey Fire in 2018. 'Putting this in context of other disasters, the speed is actually probably faster than expected,' said Sara McTarnaghan, a researcher at the Urban Institute who studied the aftermath of urban wildfires in recent years in Colorado, Hawaii and California. Resolving to rebuild in Altadena Kathryn Frazier, a music publicist and life coach, had lived in her four-bedroom, three-bath house in Altadena for 10 years and raised her two children there. After her home burned to the ground, she was in shock and questioned whether it made sense to come back. But after conversations with neighbors, she became determined to rebuild. 'I'm not leaving,' Frazier said. 'That's what kept coming up for everybody, and the more we all talked to each other the more we were all like 'hell yes.'' She is making progress. Frazier hired a crew to clear the property of debris and she is nearly through the first phase of permitting, which involves getting county review and approval for her new home's design. The next phase before receiving approval to begin construction includes reviews of electrical, plumbing and other aspects of the design. 9 After her home burned to the ground, Kathryn Frazier became determined to rebuild after talking with her neighbors. AP Frazier, 55, is rebuilding her home without major changes to its size or location in order to qualify for an expedited building permit approval process. 'We are hoping to be building by June or July, latest,' she said. 'I've been told that maybe by February or March of 2026 we could be back in our home.' For now, Frazier is getting quotes on windows, skylights and other home fixtures in hopes of locking in prices before they go up as more construction projects ramp up, or in response to the Trump administration's ongoing trade war. 9 Frazier looks at her property, which was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena. AP 'I'm doing things like scouring Home Depot, finding slate tiles that look modern and beautiful, but they're actually really cheap,' she said. Recreating a home in the Palisades DeAnn Heline, a TV showrunner, knows what it's like to build her dream house from the ground up. She waited more than two years for construction to be completed on the five-bedroom, eight-bath home with ocean views. Once the project was done, her husband vowed to never build another house. The family lived there for six years before it was destroyed in the Palisades Fire. 9 DeAnn Heline's family lived in their home for six years before it was destroyed in the Palisades Fire. AP 'It was ash. There was nothing,' Heline said. The couple, who have two daughters, have lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years. They couldn't imagine giving up and not rebuilding. 'Not only are we building another house, we're building the exact same house again,' Heline said, noting the new home will have some upgrades including fire-resistant materials and sprinklers for the exterior of the house. 9 A worker stands atop a home being rebuilt after the Palisades Fire on April 24. AP Recently, they cleared debris from the land where the house once stood, a particularly onerous task because the home featured a large basement into which much of the structure collapsed as it burned. Heline isn't sure when construction will begin, but figures it could be two or three years. She wonders, however, what the neighborhood will look like by then. 'What are you going back to? You're going back to a moonscape? Are you there and no one else is on your block, or are you going back to a construction zone for many more years?' she said. Banding together as a community The Eaton wildfire destroyed many of the more than 270 historic Janes Cottages in Altadena, including the three-bedroom home Tim Vordtriede shared with his wife and two young children. 9 Tim Vordtriede looks at the remains of his property, destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena. AP The family had only lived in the roughly 100-year-old house for three years. 'We just loved the storybook cottage and the vibe, and of course the grander vibe of Altadena,' he said. 'It was perfect.' Vordtriede, 44, has decided to rebuild, but not just yet. For now, he is using his experience as a construction project manager to help others who also lost their homes. 9 'We just loved the storybook cottage and the vibe, and of course the grander vibe of Altadena,' Vordtriede said, who eventually plans on rebuilding. AP 9 Vordtriede is using his experience as a construction project manager to help rebuild others' homes. AP He co-founded Altadena Collective, a group providing assistance with home designs and guidance on how to navigate the complex and lengthy approval process for rebuilding permits. Of the roughly two dozen clients that the group is serving, at reduced cost, three are in the early stages of the permitting process. Even after projects reach shovel-ready status, homeowners will have to wait perhaps more than a year before they can move in, he said. 'My first statement when anyone walks in the door is: We're not here to help you design your dream home,' Vordtriede said. 'This isn't a dream time. This is a nightmare, and our job is to get you out of the nightmare as soon as possible.'
