#392 | When a Postpartum Preeclampsia Diagnosis Doesn't Add Up: Morgan's Story

Morgan's first birth was nothing like she expected. After being put on Pitocin, receiving an epidural that left her unable to move, and pushing for nearly five hours, her doctor told her the baby was too big, she was too small, and she needed an emergency C-section. Morgan refused. Her daughter was born vaginally, but the experience left her determined never to return to a hospital to give birth.

For her second pregnancy, Morgan chose a birth center and had an entirely different experience. Her son was born in the water, without interventions, and she finally understood what birth could feel like when she was supported and respected. But shortly after his birth, elevated blood pressure readings led to a hospital transfer, a diagnosis of severe postpartum preeclampsia, and 24 hours on magnesium sulfate. When she later reviewed her medical records, she found that her blood pressure readings and lab results had been repeatedly described as only mildly elevated.

Morgan joins us to share all three of her births, including the home birth of her third baby, and how her experiences with the medical system left her with years of anxiety around something as simple as having her blood pressure taken. We discuss the importance of informed consent, the difference between being informed and being frightened into compliance, the questions surrounding her preeclampsia diagnosis, and why taking responsibility for your birth begins long before labor.

Additional Resource:

Check out our episode on preeclampsia with Sarah Thompson here.

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