'LIFE OR DEATH'
The terrifying truth about the common pregnancy complication Meghan Markle suffered – 7 warnings signs to know
Find out everything you need to know about the condition below
MEGHAN Markle has opened up about the realities of becoming a mum - including her "scary" experience with a rare and serious condition that occurred after childbirth.
In the debut episode of her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, revealed details of suffering postpartum pre-eclampsia.
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In a powerful conversation with her first guest and close friend, Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, 35, the pair discussed how they'd both experienced the the rare and potentially life-threatening condition.
Postpartum pre-eclampsia is similar to pre-eclampsia that happens during pregnancy, but develops after the baby is born.
It occurs when you have high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine.
If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications, including seizures, stroke and organ damage.
Read more on pre-eclampsia
"We both had very similar experiences — though we didn't know each other at the time — with postpartum, and we both had pre-eclampsia. Postpartum pre-eclampsia," Meghan shared, in the episode that launched April 8.
She didn't clarify whether the condition occurred after the birth of her son Prince Archie, 5, or her daughter Princess Lilibet, 3 - while Wolfe is a mum to two sons.
"It’s so rare and so scary," Meghan continued. "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."
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Wolfe replied: "I mean life or death, truly."
Symptoms of postpartum pre-eclampsia
The symptoms of pre-eclampsia and postpartum pre-eclampsia are largely the same.
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Early signs of pre-eclampsia are listed by the NHS as:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Protein in urine (proteinuria)
These symptoms can be difficult to spot as they don't necessarily make you feel unwell.
But doctors can and do pick up postpartum pre-eclampsia after birth, often through monitoring blood pressure and other related symptoms, and may require further testing and treatment.
It's important to note high blood pressure alone doesn't suggest pre-eclampsia.
But if protein in the urine is found at the same time, it's a good indicator of the condition.
Five other symptoms of pre-eclampsia that can occur as it progresses include:
- Severe headaches
- Vision problems, such as blurring or seeing flashing lights
- Pain just below the ribs
- Vomiting
- Sudden swelling of the feet, ankles, face and hands
If you notice any symptoms of pre-eclampsia, including after birth, you should get medical advice immediately by calling your GP surgery or NHS 111 to avoid life-threatening complications.
While the symptoms of pre-eclampsia and postpartum pre-eclampsia are largely the same, the key difference is the timing of their onset.
Dr Shazia Malik, is a consultant OBGYN and UK Medical Director at gynaecological health company and virtual women's health clinic .
She shared with Sun Health who's most at risk of pre-eclampsia, the complications that can occur, and how it's treated.
Who's most at risk?
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Some individuals face a higher risk of developing the condition, including those with a history of high blood pressure.
Dr Malik explained: "Whether chronic or pregnancy-related - those with a history of high blood pressure are more susceptible, as are women who’ve had pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy."
She added: "Other factors include obesity, carrying multiples (like twins), being over 35, or having conditions like diabetes or a history of autoimmune conditions.
"There’s also evidence suggesting black women may be disproportionately affected, likely due to systemic healthcare disparities rather than biology alone."
What complications can occur?
If untreated, postpartum pre-eclampsia can escalate quickly.
It can lead to seizures (known as eclampsia), stroke, organ damage - particularly to the liver and kidneys - or even pulmonary edema, where fluid builds up in the lungs, making breathing difficult, said Dr Malik.
She warned: "These complications can be life-threatening, which is why early detection is vital."
Several well-known celebrities, including Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Serena Williams, have publicly shared their experiences with pre-eclampsia.
Dr Malik added: "The Duchess’s openness highlights how even high-profile individuals with access to excellent healthcare aren’t immune, underscoring the need for universal awareness and monitoring post-delivery."
How is it treated?
Treatment focuses on stabilising blood pressure and preventing complications.
Dr Malik said: "Doctors typically prescribe antihypertensive medications to lower blood pressure safely, and in severe cases, magnesium sulphate may be used to prevent seizures.
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"Regular monitoring, both in hospital and at home, is key, alongside rest and a low-salt diet to manage fluid retention."
Dr Malik added: "Postpartum pre-eclampsia is a stark reminder of how dynamic maternal health can be, and I applaud the Duchess for shedding light on it."
A simple blood test could predict pre-eclampsia...
A STUDY published in Nature Communications reveals new advances in the biological understanding of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including pre-eclampsia.
The paper also looked at a simple blood test to predict pre-eclampsia early, at 17.5 to 22 weeks gestational age, in pregnancies without any pre-existing high-risk conditions.
"By the time a patient is symptomatic, it's a race against the clock to try to get the baby to term and not risk the mother's health," said Dr. Kara Rood, a maternal-fetal medicine physician, one of the principal investigators of the study, and Clinical Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
"Current guidelines are not helping us identify which patients are truly at high risk and we need better tools. This pre-eclampsia risk prediction test can now improve risk assessment, helping women and their care teams be informed and take actions with the potential to delay the onset of or prevent the disease."
Results show the simple blood test can identify 91 per cent of pregnancies that will develop preterm pre-eclampsia in women aged 35+ without pre-existing high-risk conditions, months ahead of symptoms.
Those with a low-risk result have a 99.7 per cent probability of not developing preterm pre-eclampsia. The clinically validated blood test will soon be broadly available under the brand name EncompassTM.
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