Hear Personal Stories of Pregnancy-Related Complications

At a glance

The Hear Her® campaign features compelling stories from women about their experiences during or after pregnancy. They share how pregnancy-related complications or conditions have affected them and how they got help.

Hear Personal Stories of Pregnancy-Related Complications from American Indian Women

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Healthcare Professional Videos

Hear expert perspectives on the impact healthcare professionals can have in improving maternal health and preventing pregnancy-related deaths.

Allyson’s story

"I really want women to be aware, to know if they're at risk, to have a plan in place, to not be intimidated in doctor's offices, and to be heard."

Allyson, an elite track and field athlete and Olympian, was diagnosed at 32-weeks pregnant with severe preeclampsia. Her doctor’s fast actions may have saved her life . Read more of Allyson’s story.

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Desiree and Kirsten’s story

**"As women, we're smart. We are intelligent. We'**re powerful. We know when things aren't right."

Desiree experienced a postpartum hemorrhage, resulting in heavy bleeding after the birth of her daughter. Her sister, Kirsten, encouraged her to see her doctor. Desiree's quick-acting obstetrician listened to her concerns and may have saved her life.

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Part 1

"I started getting extremely swollen in my legs and in my hands. That never happened to me throughout my pregnancy."

Joanna describes her experience with postpartum preeclampsia after her first pregnancy. She recalls, "I thought preeclampsia only happened during pregnancy."

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Part 2

After her second pregnancy, Joanna struggled with not feeling heard by her health care providers when she had concerns about her blood pressure.

"I felt like I was dismissed. I felt like I wasn't being taken seriously."

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La historia de Joanna (en español)

Después de mi primer embarazo, cuando yo fui al hospital yo me sentí que nadie me estaba explicando qué era lo que estaba pasando.

**Me sentí como que nadie me estaba escuchando. **Yo tenía mucho miedo.

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Valencia’s story

Valencia struggled with headaches and dizziness during a difficult first pregnancy. It was her primary care provider who finally helped her get the care she needed.

"I was scared because I felt like no one heard me. I knew things weren't normal."

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Kylie’s story

Kylie's pregnancy progressed normally until 38 weeks when she began to experience swelling. Soon after, she developed life-threatening complications, culminating in a stay in the ICU, dialysis, and an eventual kidney transplant. Kylie's husband was her "lifeline" fighting for her and making sure she got the best care possible.

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Eleorra’s story

Eleorra had severe chest pains during pregnancy and knew **"Something didn't feel right."
**She kept searching for answers and finally found a high-risk doctor who provided her with the care she needed to make it through her pregnancy safely.

"Continue to speak up and make sure they hear you out."

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Lindsay’s story

"You know your body better than anyone else in the world."

Lindsay developed preeclampsia during her second pregnancy. In response to her symptoms, she was told that she was experiencing typical pregnancy swelling. But when her headache and blurred vision got worse, she checked her blood pressure at a pharmacy and discovered it was dangerously high. Lindsay went straight to the hospital, a decision that may have saved her life.

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Sanari’s story

Sanari started to experience pain two days after delivery and was initially told it was caused by gas. But when her symptoms continued to worsen, she knew something was wrong. An abscess was eventually found on her uterus, which could have been fatal.

"I'm glad I didn't stop at no. I'm glad someone finally listened to me."

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