How Preeclampsia Changed My Outlook on Maternal Health
Preeclampsia is a more commonly known term among pregnant women, moms, and those very close to the pregnancy or birthing process. I knew of it once I got pregnant, but I never imagined it would be something I experienced while carrying our children. And even though my outcomes were extremely positive, some women aren’t that lucky.
Preeclampsia usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy and is a dangerous complication characterized primarily by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. It occurs in 1 in 25 pregnancies in the U.S., meaning that 200,000 pregnant women go through something that can be serious and even fatal for the mom and baby every year.
My preeclampsia experience happened postpartum both times. The silver lining was it couldn’t impact either of our boys, as they were already out of my body when the symptoms took over. I experienced blurred vision, high blood pressure, and intense headaches, all of which I chalked up to hormones and the fact that I just pushed a human out of my body. My treatment included a 24-hour magnesium sulfate drip to prevent seizing. So that meant I had to be readmitted to the hospital about 5-7 days post labor and delivery.
This trip back to the hospital wasn’t in my postpartum plan. I envisioned days 5-7 filled with baby snuggles, sleepless nights, and lots of bonding time. Even as I sat talking to my husband, trying to refocus my eyes to straighten out his blurred appearance, I continued to convince myself nothing was wrong. I was just tired, recovering from just giving birth, you name the excuse, and I came up with it.
During my first experience, I was able to keep our newborn with me in the hospital, which was such a blessing. I could still have that bonding time while feeding him and be within arm’s length of him. It was also gut-wrenching at the same time because I was strapped to the bed in case I did have a seizure, so my husband had to help me with all of it. I’m thankful for that support, but I also couldn’t help but feel less of a mom.
During my second experience, Covid regulations prevented me from bringing our newborn with me to the hospital. So, on day 5 of his life, I was in a hospital, away from him, being pumped with magnesium sulfate, all while pumping every 4 hours to save all the breast milk I could. I will forever be grateful to my dad, who drove back and forth from the hospital several times to bring our son my milk, and my mom, who watched our then 3-year-old, allowing my husband to continue work during this time. It doesn’t escape me how fortunate we were to have this support and how other new moms and families might not.
This was not how I envisioned the start of my postpartum period, but it was critical to treat the preeclampsia. It kept me safe and got me back to my kids. An inconvenient 24-hour period for what I get to experience being a mom… I would do it 100 times over, as any mom would. In my situation, I was very fortunate to have extremely attentive, direct, and empathetic physicians because they were the reason I was diagnosed and treated, my husband included.
It doesn’t escape me that some women aren’t as fortunate, and this was again brought to my attention when I heard the story of Tori Bowie. Bowie was around 8 months pregnant when she was found dead in her home. The cause of death was noted as possible complications, including respiratory distress and eclampsia, which is what can follow preeclampsia. Eclampsia is when convulsions occur due to untreated high blood pressure, which can lead to confusion, stroke, coma, or even death.
Being that Bowie was a black woman, this also highlighted how race impacts a woman’s chances of getting preeclampsia, with the rate of preeclampsia being 60% higher among black women than white women.
Fellow USA Track & Field athlete Allyson Felix shared her story of being diagnosed with preeclampsia at 32 weeks pregnant, which concluded with an emergency C-section, saving both her and her daughter’s lives.
We don’t talk about it enough as women and as a society, but we all could use so much more education and support regarding maternal health, wellness, and well-being. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is a step in the right direction for maternal health, and I would hope, regardless of political preference, we can all come together to support the women, moms, future moms, and families who need it most.
What is the next step we need to take for maternal health? Share your thoughts by commenting below.