If I Have a Third Baby, I Could Die After Symptoms Were Missed
A mother reveals the dangers of her rare heart condition during pregnancy
Lancaster, UK, Rebecca Smith, Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, Heart Condition, Pregnancy
Lancaster: So, there’s this mum named Rebecca Smith, right? She’s got this rare heart condition that makes having another baby super risky. She’s already got two kids, and doctors have warned her that a third pregnancy could be life-threatening.
Rebecca, who’s 35, has peripartum cardiomyopathy. It’s a serious heart issue that can pop up late in pregnancy or right after giving birth. Sadly, it was missed during her first pregnancy, and she only found out about it after her first son, Nathan, was born back in 2007.
Even though she was told to brace for the worst, she managed to recover. But then, during her second pregnancy in 2024, the condition came back. After having her second child, Rowan, she ended up on a bunch of medications that she’ll need for life.
Rebecca, who works as a clinical support worker, emphasizes how important it is for pregnant women to catch this condition early. She’s been on a strict treatment plan ever since. It’s wild how little people know about this disease. At first, she was even told her symptoms were just anxiety, but she knew something was seriously wrong.
During her first pregnancy, she had classic heart failure signs like swollen feet and constant fatigue, but those were brushed off as normal pregnancy stuff. After Nathan was born, she was rushed to intensive care because she couldn’t breathe. It was a scary time for her and her family.
After a week in ICU, she was sent home with a diagnosis of anxiety, but her symptoms didn’t go away. She even collapsed during a walk with Nathan, which led to discovering clots in her lungs and heart. Thankfully, one of the clots resolved itself without medication, which was a relief.
After her first experience, Rebecca was told not to have more kids for 17 years. But she thought she was in the clear and got pregnant again in 2024. Everything seemed fine until her heart function started to drop during the pregnancy.
When she had Rowan, her heart function was critically low, and she had to start taking even more medications. After giving birth, she began planning for Christmas, just in case things took a turn for the worse.
Now, she’s on a lifelong treatment plan and has decided no more babies. But she’s turned her experience into something positive by running workshops for junior doctors, teaching them about the hidden symptoms of her condition. It’s all about raising awareness so that other women don’t go through what she did.
Rebecca’s story is a reminder of how crucial it is to listen to your body and advocate for your health, especially during pregnancy.