I did my first Preeclampsia walk in October 2022 when I was pregnant with my second child, Violet. I heard about preeclampsia during my first pregnancy with Vinny, but I did not experience it firsthand. All I knew was that if my blood pressure was high, I needed to go to the doctor immediately to get it checked out, but I didn't experience that with my first pregnancy fortunately.
Fast forward to April 2023, when I was 2 weeks from Violet's due date. My pregnancy up until then was fairly normal with nothing out of the ordinary. At my 38 week appointment, my blood pressure was elevated and my doc said to keep an eye on it and to call if it doesn't go down. Well, it increased to about 180/100 and I had to be induced the next night. Luckily, the delivery went smoothly and Violet came out chunky and healthy. But I was admitted again the day after being discharged due to my blood pressure sky rocketing once I was home.
What I experienced after delivery sucked. I had to have a 24 hour magnesium drip to help prevent seizures which made me feel dizzy and weak. I couldn't leave the bed, so I had to have a catheter put in without any anesthisia - eek! I was hospitalized for 2 days postpartum during the time that my milk was supposed to come in - and I was away from my newborn. So while I was able to pump at the hospital, I knew my breastmilk wouldn't be at the levels it would have been had I been at home with my newborn. I'm grateful the medical team was able to get everything under control and I was discharged after 2 nights with a new perscription to control my blood pressure. The doctor said most patients get off the medicine after 3 months - I was on the medicine for 6 months.
Everything I read online about Preeclampsia was scary and gave me so much anxiety, and there's still so much we don't know about it! Most women with preeclampsia will deliver healthy babies and fully recover. However, some women will experience complications, several of which may be life-threatening to mother and/or baby. A woman’s condition can progress to severe preeclampsia very quickly. The rate of preeclampsia in the US has increased 25% in the last two decades and is a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death.
Your donation will help support research that will save the lives of countless women and babies who suffer from preeclampsia. Any amount can make a difference! The mission of the Preeclampsia Foundation aims to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure.
Thank you so much for your support - I'm looking forward to this year's Promise Walk!
