I was induced at 37 weeks due to hypertension and went through 34 hours of labor.. which then resulted in a c-section. A few days later after I delivered my son, my blood pressure suddenly spiked to 171/121. My parents rushed me to the ER, and shortly after, I was transported to the main hospital and taken straight to labor & delivery. I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and placed on a 24-hour magnesium drip. During everything happening, the doctors ordered an ultrasound on my heart and discovered my heart function was only at 45% instead of the normal 50-60%. That’s when I was diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy. We later sat through conversations with four different cardiologists who all strongly recommended that this should be our only baby because another pregnancy could be even more dangerous. Hearing those words was heartbreaking, especially because we always imagined having more children.
Preeclampsia doesn’t always end with delivery, and postpartum complications are very real. I share my story because awareness matters. Listen to your body. Take symptoms seriously. Advocate for yourself. And hug your babies a little tighter.