Meghan Markle has two children with Prince Harry: Prince Archie, born in 2019, and Princess Lilibet, born in 2021. Meghan was a working royal when she was pregnant for the first time and was highly mediatised at the time.
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By the time she was pregnant with Lilibet, she and Prince Harry had left the Firm and settled in the US. Meghan announced her pregnancy during the couple’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The Duchess of Sussex recently launched the first episode of her new podcastConfessions of a Female Founder. In the first episode, Meghan invited her friend, entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe Herd, 35. The two women discussed motherhood as business owners and their similar experiences.
Meghan Markle reveals she had postpartum preeclampsia
In her new podcast, Meghan Markle discusses life as a mother while building her own business, which she launched recently. The former actress revealed to her friend – and listeners – that she had a major health scare postpartum.
The mum-of-two explained that she and Whitney had ‘similar experiences’ concerning life after pregnancy as they both developed postpartum preeclampsia, which can be a a matter of 'life or death' as explained by 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.
Meghan doesn’t clarify which pregnancy developed into postpartum preeclampsia but revealed the ordeal was ‘so scary’, as she still had to deal with other things and ‘the world doesn't know what's happening quietly’.
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.
What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a medical issue that typically occurs during pregnancy. According to the Mayo Clinic, it causes high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. In pregnancy, preeclampsia manifests after 20 weeks. The condition is considered serious, as, if left untreated, it can be fatal to both the mother and the baby.
The condition can also occur after pregnancy, which is known as postpartum preeclampsia, as discussed by the Duchess of Sussex.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the main symptom of preeclampsia is high blood pressure, but other symptoms include:
- Excess protein in urine (proteinuria) or other signs of kidney problems
- Decreased levels of platelets in blood (thrombocytopenia)
- Increased liver enzymes that indicate liver problems
- Severe headaches
- Changes in vision, including temporary loss of vision, blurred vision, or light sensitivity
- Shortness of breath, caused by fluid in the lungs
- Pain in the upper belly, usually under the ribs on the right side
- Nausea or vomiting
The first signs of preeclampsia are typically spotted during routine check-ups with healthcare providers. Treatments for preeclampsia are possible through careful monitoring and medication to lower blood pressure and manage potential complications.
Depending on the case, it can be recommended to deliver the baby early to avoid complications. This decision is based on the severity of the preeclampsia and how many weeks the mother is.
Read more:
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Meghan Markle on the Sussex name and how it's 'part of her love story' with Prince Harry
Sources used:
Daily Mail: ‘Meghan Markle reveals 'huge medical scare' after giving birth in her debut Confessions of a Female Founder episode with Bumble boss Whitney Wolfe Herd’
People: ‘Meghan Markle Reveals Her 'Scary' Experience with Postpartum Preeclampsia on New Podcast’
Mayo Clinic: ‘Preeclampsia’
