April 02, 2024 By Shannon Zepka
I had severe postpartum preeclampsia with my first pregnancy so when we became pregnant a second time, maternal fetal medicine put me on two aspirins (162mg) daily instead of just one. I was also taking lovenox injections for an underlying blood clotting disorder. I checked my blood pressure daily, as I was instructed, and I noticed my pressures were increasing but not in the “severe range”. I was scheduled for a planned induction at 39 weeks so I could deliver safely after stopping the blood thinners. However, at 37 weeks, I had a placental abruption and hemorrhaged during birth. My baby was in distress and delivery was expedited. My blood pressures continued going up, and like last time, I had headaches and saw flashing spots. I had to go back to the hospital and ended up needing to take blood pressure medications for a few weeks. Even though I did all the right monitoring and preventative measures throughout pregnancy and postpartum, my baby and my life was still threatened. I look at my baby and think about how much we’ve overcome and how lucky we are to be together today.
I had a completely healthy pregnancy up until 38 weeks. The previous week I got my blood levels tested and the urine test done, but everythin...
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