Former Miss India actress tried top doctors in Dubai, London but lost her son to rare heart condition. What is HLHS?

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a serious and rare congenital heart defect that can prove fatal in newborns. It affects the way blood flows through the heart, leaving parents and doctors with limited options for treatment. Former Miss India and actor Celina Jaitly recently revisited her personal experience with the condition, recalling the heartbreaking loss of her son Shamsher despite seeking the best medical care available across countries.

In a deeply emotional Instagram post, Celina shared the painful memory of losing Shamsher, one of her twin boys born in 2017. She remembered how doctors had diagnosed him with HLHS while she was still pregnant. The news came only months after her father’s death, leaving her in profound grief.

Alongside a photo of herself with her son Arthur at Shamsher’s gravesite, Celina recalled the helplessness she felt. She expressed how she longed to save him but could not. The tragic diagnosis came soon after the passing of her father, compounding her grief.

Search for Treatment Across Countries

Celina and her husband Peter Haag sought help from leading cardiologists in Dubai, London, and India. Despite consulting some of the best specialists, they were told Shamsher’s condition was incurable. She described the most difficult part as enduring the pregnancy without being able to do anything to change the outcome.

She remembered living those months with constant prayers, hoping for a miracle. At the time, she wished there were medicines she could take to protect her child but had to face the reality that no treatment could save him.

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A post shared by Celina Jaitly (@celinajaitlyofficial)

Strength Through Family and Faith

Though Shamsher could not be saved despite several days in neonatal intensive care, Celina shared that she has tried to focus on gratitude. She said that God did not leave them empty-handed, as Shamsher’s twin Arthur and her elder twins Winston and Viraaj continue to bring joy. Still, she often reflects on how Arthur, being a twin, feels the absence of his brother.

She acknowledged that congenital health challenges change families permanently but also reveal resilience. Her message resonated with many who praised her for openly speaking about such a difficult chapter of her life.

What is Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, HLHS is a rare congenital heart defect where the left side of the heart fails to develop properly. Structures such as the left ventricle, aorta, and heart valves may be underdeveloped. Because of this, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body.

In a normal heart, the left side circulates oxygenated blood throughout the body. In HLHS, the right side of the heart is forced to handle both lung and body circulation, which is not sustainable without medical intervention.


The condition affects about one in every 3,800 newborns and is more common in boys. Symptoms can appear soon after birth and may include bluish skin, rapid breathing, poor feeding, fatigue, and weak pulse.
Treatment and Prognosis

While the condition is life-threatening without treatment, doctors sometimes manage HLHS with medication and a series of staged surgeries—the Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan procedures—that allow the heart to function more effectively, according to Cleveland Clinic.

However, even with surgeries, complications such as abnormal rhythms, blood clots, and organ issues may arise, and survival between procedures can be uncertain.

Celina Jaitly’s Career and Personal Life

Celina Jaitly, who was crowned Miss India in 2001, entered films with Janasheen in 2003 and later starred in popular titles like No Entry and Golmaal Returns. She married Austrian hotelier Peter Haag in 2011, and they became parents to twin boys born in March 2012. Jaitly again gave birth to a second set of twin boys in 2017, in which the couple tragically lost Shamsher to HLHS.