Pregnancy
Always Speak Up For Yourself: Lucia’s Story
I was nine weeks pregnant when I woke up on Dec. 24, 2022 with a pain in my back that radiated to my right side, under my ribs. The pain intensified in the evening and I had shortness of breath. At the ER, I was dismissed as having back pain and given pain medications. Six…
Please Don’t Take ‘You’re Fine’ as an Answer: Shola’s Story
During my first pregnancy, I had been feeling faint. Soon after, I started getting headaches with flashing black dots in my eyes. My midwife had told me that my blood pressure was higher than it should be, and that if I got any painful headaches and started seeing black dots, I should go straight to…
I Thought I Was Having a Heart Attack While Holding My Newborn: Megan’s Story
When I was 37 weeks pregnant with my first child, I began experiencing a painful, pressurized cramping sensation in my upper thigh that was dismissed by three different OB/GYNs during my weekly appointments. They assured me it was just the baby putting pressure on nerves and ligaments in my pelvis. However, at 17 days post-delivery…
I Want To Raise Awareness Among Pregnant Women: Hannah’s Story
I was 24 weeks pregnant when I learned I developed a bilateral pulmonary embolism (PE). I had been suffering from shortness of breath but had no other symptoms. Blood clots aren’t in the family, and I am young, fit and healthy, so my midwife was certain I wouldn’t have this condition. She referred me…
I Developed a DVT During Childbirth in the 12 Hours I Was Off My Blood Thinner: Maggie’s Story
I developed my first blood clot at 16 years old, a massive deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my left leg, extending from the middle of my shin to my belly button. Unfortunately, this clot resulted in multiple pulmonary emboli (PE), both caused by oral contraceptives. I developed another DVT at eight weeks pregnant, even…
I Was Told I Was Having an Anxiety Attack: Angie’s Story
On November 24, 2022, I went to the ER for an emergency C-section due to my high-risk pregnancy. During my whole pregnancy, I was told about the “uncommon” issues a woman can experience, and I got almost everything “uncommon” that I was warned about. My pregnancy was far from what I dreamed of. After having…
My Sister Passed from a PE at 39 Weeks Pregnant: Rachel and Lauren’s Story
I’m sharing my sister Lauren’s story. She passed away from a pulmonary embolism at 39 weeks pregnant in October of 2021. She was days from her due date when she began to feel short of breath. She talked to her doctor and they were not concerned because she had no family history and no risk…
Knowledge is Power: Stephanie’s Story
When I was eight months pregnant, my grandmother passed away. My blood pressure began to spike, and I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension. I ended up being induced at 37 weeks in order to keep the baby safe. The night I delivered my daughter, my dad went into cardiac arrest. He passed away a week…
This Needed More than a Tylenol Prescription: Ashley’s Story
At 31 weeks pregnant, I was getting ready for the arrival of my baby when I started experiencing extreme pain in my left leg. I remember going to my baby shower and barely being able to walk. This was very concerning, so after the baby shower, I called my OB/GYN and explained the symptoms I…
A Challenging Series of Miscarriages: Janelle’s Story
In 2011, I became pregnant with my fourth child and went in for what I thought would be a normal 8–12-week doctor’s visit, but instead they told me that I was having a miscarriage. This was confusing and devastating news that was challenging to process. I could not understand why I was having a miscarriage…
