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The ‘HEAR HER’ initiative by the CDC seems to be everywhere these days—or perhaps I’m just more aware since COVID numbers have started to decline in my area. This campaign aims to empower families, partners, and healthcare providers to genuinely listen to pregnant individuals when they express concerns about their well-being. The objective is to increase awareness of critical warning signs during and after pregnancy while enhancing communication between patients and their medical teams.
This message resonates deeply with me. Reflecting on my own experience during my pregnancy with my daughter, I realize how crucial it is to be heard. Despite my repeated concerns over the course of a week, I was dismissed, and this negligence almost cost my baby her life—and mine as well.
A Routine Check-Up Turns Troubling
My journey began at a routine thirty-week check-up. My regular obstetrician was unavailable, and a substitute doctor attended to me. Up to that point, my pregnancy had been smooth sailing. I was 27, healthy, and felt great. However, during this visit, I expressed my worry that my baby’s movements had noticeably decreased over the past few days. The doctor listened to the heartbeat and reassured me that everything was fine, attributing the reduced activity to my smaller frame, which limited the space for the baby to move. I left the office feeling somewhat reassured.
Trusting My Instincts
As the days went by, my intuition told me something was off. My husband echoed the doctor’s words, reminding me that if there were serious concerns, the doctor would have been more attentive. But on a Thursday night, the unsettling truth hit me—I couldn’t feel my baby move at all. I reached out to the emergency line, only to be met with the same dismissive response: the baby was merely growing. The on-call doctor suggested I drink some orange juice and lie on my side. My husband quickly fetched the juice, and I drank nearly the whole carton while lying there in distress. Still, there was no movement.
Insisting on Answers
The next morning, I insisted on getting an appointment. The clinic agreed to a non-stress test. I informed my boss I would be late, and my husband and I stopped for breakfast before heading to the appointment. I anticipated yet another dismissal of my worries.
As I sat for the test alongside other expectant mothers, a different doctor entered, assuring me that everything was fine after reviewing my file. Overwhelmed with emotion, I broke down. Deep down, I knew something was seriously wrong. The doctor allowed me to stay on the monitor longer, and eventually, the results raised alarms. More tears followed as another doctor led me to an ultrasound room. During the ultrasound, my baby remained completely still—no movement, not even when prompted by the technician. A subsequent test confirmed my worst fears: my baby was in distress, and her vital systems were failing. She had mere hours left.
An Emergency C-Section
Fortunately, the clinic was connected to a hospital, and a doctor rushed into the room, declaring that we needed to proceed with an emergency C-section—immediately. Within an hour, I was prepped for surgery. As I signed consent forms and donned a hospital gown, nurses administered steroids to help my baby’s underdeveloped lungs and placed an IV. Time was of the essence, but even these measures might not yield sufficient effects.
My daughter was delivered via C-section, but the silence that followed her birth was deafening—she did not cry. She was pale and tiny, requiring immediate blood transfusions and other interventions. I was informed that she might not survive the night, and there were concerns about my own health due to a placental condition: placenta accreta, which occurs when the placenta attaches too deeply to the uterine wall. While I feared for my daughter’s life, doctors worried about mine.
Miraculously, both of us made it through. My daughter spent eight weeks in the NICU, proving to be remarkably resilient, embodying a strength that astounds me even now.
The Importance of Being Heard
Afterward, the doctor who had conducted my non-stress test approached me to express gratitude for my persistence in voicing my concerns. Had I not spoken up, our story might have ended tragically.
I wasn’t aware at the time that my baby’s reduced movement was a significant warning sign indicating a dire situation. Other symptoms signaling potential complications include ongoing headaches, dizziness, vision changes, fever, severe swelling, difficulty breathing, chest pain, extreme nausea, persistent stomach pain, vaginal bleeding, and extreme fatigue, among others.
Statistics and the Need for Awareness
In the United States, over 50,000 individuals encounter severe pregnancy-related health complications annually, with approximately 700 fatalities stemming from these issues. The risks are disproportionately higher for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black communities, who face two to three times the risk of pregnancy-related deaths compared to white women. Alarmingly, two-thirds of these deaths are preventable. It is essential that pregnant individuals are heard and believed. Dr. Wanda Barfield, Director of the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, emphasizes, “A woman knows her body. Listening and acting upon her concerns during or after pregnancy could save her life.”
If I hadn’t been heard in time, my journey could have taken a different turn. I consider myself fortunate, yet I recognize that it should not have taken days of distress for my voice to be acknowledged. I hope that through campaigns like this, no one else will have to fight for their concerns to be taken seriously.
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Summary
The ‘HEAR HER’ campaign by the CDC highlights the critical need for expectant individuals to be listened to regarding their health concerns. The author shares her harrowing experience with undiagnosed placenta accreta during her pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of recognizing warning signs and advocating for oneself. She urges that no one should have to fight to be heard during such a vulnerable time.
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