Research-backed
Julie Foster, a young mother of three, has suffered from three strokes due to her pregnancies. The first occurred in 2013 when she was pregnant with her third child, Oliver. Then another when she was expecting her fourth child in 2015. During her treatment, the doctors found signs of an older stroke that went unnoticed that must have happened when she was pregnant with her second child, Grace. A recent CT of her stroke also revealed some brain damage, likely caused by one of the previous strokes.
While sharing her experience, Julie recalls the stroke she had in 2013. Like any other morning, she woke up and spent time with her kids only to realize that she couldn’t feel her leg. Julie knew something was wrong and instantly called an ambulance for the hospital. She went to the hospital, thinking that it was a trapped nerve of some sort; however, scans later revealed a stroke. They also showed signs of an older stroke. Although there is no way of knowing for certain, she believes it happened when she went temporarily blind in one eye while expecting Grace. At that time, she assumed it was her worsening migraine, but doctors now believe that it is a sign of a stroke.
Unfortunately, due to the unrecoverable risks involved with their fourth pregnancy, Julie and her husband decided to terminate the pregnancy. She was around five months pregnant at that time. Her third stroke had caused several physiological injuries to Julie. She could not use her right hand, had up to no hearing, and her memory was also affected. It consequently affected her speech and movement, requiring constant care from her husband. Thankfully, with excellent medical attention and care, Julie has recovered from this traumatic experience. She will now be able to live a normal life with her three kids and her husband once more.
Risks During Pregnancy
Modern medicine has blessed all of us. With prenatal care, pediatric specialists, and gynecologists, pregnant women all around have better and safer pregnancies than before. However, there are still several risks involved in pregnancy that one should be aware of. Although a majority of pregnancies don’t face any of these issues, it is better to know more about them rather than stay in the dark. It’s like health insurance; we hope you don’t need it, but it’s always better to have it, especially if you are going to be responsible for another living being in the near future.
1. Miscarriages
Image: Shutterstock
Mayo Clinic explains that around 10%-20% of pregnancies end up in miscarriages, of which 80% usually occur within the first twelve weeks of the pregnancy. The first sign of a miscarriage is usually bleeding or spotting. If you spot any blood during your pregnancy, it is best to contact your doctor immediately (1).
2. Premature Birth
Image: Shutterstock
In 2018, the WHO, in a news article titled Preterm Birth, published that around 12% of babies are born prematurely (2). Mayo Clinic further explains that a premature baby is born when the mother starts to have contractions before 37 weeks of pregnancy. When such contractions occur, the baby is delivered early. Such babies require a lot of care to ensure their survival and a healthy-meaningful life (3).
3. Pre-eclampsia
Image: Shutterstock
National Health Services UK concludes that pre-eclampsia happens in about 5% of expecting mothers. It is a severe condition that is likely to cause high blood pressure, kidney damage, and a combination of other medical issues. It is also expected to occur during the last trimester of the pregnancy (4).
4. Gestational Diabetes
Image: Shutterstock
National Health Services UK suggests that another form of diabetes, gestational diabetes, causes a pregnant mother’s blood sugar levels to rise. If you have gestational diabetes, we recommend working closely with your doctor to manage your condition better (5).
5. Strokes
Image: Shutterstock
Mayo Clinic explains that although extremely uncommon, pregnant women, like Julie, can suffer from strokes. Strokes usually occur when the expecting mom has a heart condition. (6).
Having shared all these pregnancy risks, we want our readers to know that such conditions may not arise in most pregnancies. Keeping that in mind, we believe that it is essential to stay informed and identify any of the given risks early on so that you can follow the right course of action.
