Meghan Markle’s heartbreaking revelation about her condition after giving birth

The health risks and postpartum complications associated with giving birth such as haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders are well documented and sadly are one of the leading causes of maternal deaths globally.

According to the World Health Organization, maternal mortality is defined as the “death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes”.

Meghan Markle’s health battle

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has opened up about her own post-pregnancy health scares in her new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder.

Meghan, who is mother to Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, revealed that she suffered from postpartum preeclampsia - a condition that affects one in 25 pregnancies, and in most cases is mild and clears up fairly quickly in the weeks following birth.

Symtoms of postpartum preeclampsia include high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine or other similar signs of organ damage.

Meghan told Whitney Wolfe Herd, “We both had very similar experiences, though we didn’t know each other at the time, with postpartum and we both had preeclampsia - postpartum preeclampsia. It’s so rare and so scary. And you’re still trying to juggle all of these things, and the world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly. And in the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people - mostly for your children, but those things are huge medical scares”.

Herd agreed, noting that the condition can be “life or death” and finding yourself on a knife edge just after bringing someone into the world is the most scary part of all. “Postpartum is wild,” she added. “It’s almost like one foot in one world, and one foot in another world. It’s a very confusing place to live in.”

What is Postpartum preeclampsia or eclampsia?

According to Mayoclinic, Postpartum preeclampsia is a rare condition that occurs when you have high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine soon after childbirth. Preeclampsia is a similar condition that develops during pregnancy and typically resolves with the birth of the baby.

Most cases of postpartum preeclampsia develop within 48 hours of childbirth. But, postpartum preeclampsia sometimes develops up to six weeks or later after childbirth.

Postpartum preeclampsia requires prompt treatment. Left untreated, it can cause seizures and other serious complications.

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