AMNIOTIC FLUID EMBOLISM SECOND PREGNANCY FREE
Katie went on to have a subsequent pregnancy and complication free delivery with her second child in April 2020. After two weeks at home, Katie was back in the hospital with bi-lateral pulmonary embolisms and was in and out of the hospital for a couple months with various other complications. Once home, the littlest tasks were difficult – going up and down stairs, taking a shower, or changing one diaper. On day 10, her daughter was cleared to go home, and Katie was hospitalized for an additional 15 days. It was the most unbelievable moment - “one I’ll never forget,” she says. A week later, Katie was finally able to meet and hold her precious girl. Her newborn daughter had suffered complications too and was transferred to a local children’s hospital for treatment. “I’ve donated blood once or twice before – and I’m filled with tremendous gratitude on how many people had to donate for me and how much more need there is out there.” Three days later she woke up in the ICU and found out that she had an AFE followed by DIC, which required her to receive 50+ units of blood products. Katie went in and out of consciousness but remembers the chaos going on around her as they wheeled her into the operating room for an emergency cesarian section. Once her water broke, everything went dark. Meet Katie – In August 2017, at 41+ weeks pregnant, Katie went in for her scheduled induction – anxious to meet her baby daughter. Something like this shouldn’t happen on the best day of your life.” Henry doesn’t seem to have been impacted by the circumstances of his birth – his MRI was normal, and he is developing beautifully.Īlthough Annie has survived AFE physically unscathed and has returned to work recently, she says the “emotional wounds are deep and ones I’ll likely carry for the rest of my life. Following additional complications, set-backs and being isolated from her husband and family due to COVID-19 restrictions, the doctors said she would likely have long-term physical and cognitive disabilities and would require months of treatment in a rehab facility.Īnnie met Henry for the first time in the rehab facility and six days later was able to go home.
Her son Henry was born without a pulse and quickly taken to the neonatal intensive care unit for treatment.Īfter over two weeks of unresponsiveness, Annie woke up and had paralysis on her right side and confusion about what had happened – she had no memory of going to the hospital to give birth and even thought she had miscarried.Īn MRI revealed that Annie had suffered numerous strokes and bleeds. I had never donated blood before but made my first donation last September after I knew how important it was.” “You just never think you’ll be the one in need. Annie received about 25 units of blood products to replace the blood she lost. She entered disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which causes blood to clot where it shouldn’t and then hemorrhage where clotting is necessary.Ī massive blood transfusion was called for.
AMNIOTIC FLUID EMBOLISM SECOND PREGNANCY CODE
A code blue was called, CPR and shocks were administered, but her heart continued to fail. Meet Annie – On March 23, 2020, just 12 days after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Annie had an emergency cesarean section and went into cardiac arrest. Meet these three strong, brave and remarkable women who are AFE survivors and who, not too long ago, were total strangers. It can result in the mother going into respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, and DIC. It’s thought to be the result of an allergic-like reaction to the amniotic fluid that enters the mother’s bloodstream. AFE causes birth complications that affect both mother and baby during labor or shortly after delivery. To raise awareness about AFE, they are sharing their stories and hosting a blood drive to help ensure blood products are available for others who need lifesaving transfusions.ĪFE is a rare and serious condition – occurring in about 1 in 40,000 births in the U.S. Together, they needed over 100 units of lifesaving blood products. Their stories are different, but they all credit blood with helping to save their lives.
They met through the AFE Foundation because they all experienced an AFE during childbirth. Neither had Annie, Katie and Liana, three women from the Minneapolis and St. Most of us have never heard of amniotic fluid embolism (AFE). Annie, Liana and Katie (pictured from left to right) all experienced devastating amniotic fluid embolisms during childbirth and collectively needed over 100 units of blood products. How Annie, Liana and Katie are turning their life-threatening childbirth experiences into advocacy and awareness for blood donation.
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