A few days ago, social media was abuzz with the story of a pregnant lady who developed vitiligo after the delivery of her child.
Her post was greeted with a lot of comments. In this piece, a mum, Ederin Ishalekun, who developed postpartum preeclampsia, shares her journey with Iya Magazine.
For five long years, Ederin’s heart had swelled with hope, only to be met with disappointment. Month after month, she’d traced the delicate contours of her dream in the patterns of constellations, praying for a miracle to fill the empty cradle of her arms.
Then, like a whispered secret carried by the wind, the news came. She was pregnant.
“I was super excited that after years of longing and waiting, I was finally pregnant.
“My husband was filled with as much joy as I was, we had butterflies in our bellies.
“I say an end to endless worry, anxiety, and disappointments after every monthly flow,” Ederin recalled.
As the days passed, her belly swelled with the promise of new life, a tangible testament to the power of hope and the strength of a mother’s love.
Yet, as the days turned into weeks, that euphoria gave way to a new challenge.
On that eventful day, Ederin said, she had gone to the hospital for a checkup because she felt strange and uncomfortable. When the doctor checked her blood pressure, he told her she couldn’t go back home.
Sorry, you can’t go home!
She narrated, “It was October 7, 2022. I was constantly feeling uncomfortable. We had been monitoring my blood pressure all along, but we felt it was because of the pregnancy that it was a bit high but not so high.
“But that particular day, after the doctor had left the office and had gone to speak with one of the consultants, I knew something was off.
“He met with my husband and told him to go bring my bag so that I could be placed on admission. He told us I needed to go through a cesarean section because my blood pressure was extremely high.”
The diagnosis brought with it a tidal wave of emotions for Ederin and her husband, Henry. “It was incredibly overwhelming,” she recalled, her eyes reflecting the strength and determination that had carried her through this challenging journey. “I felt scared, confused, and, at times, defeated.”
In the face of adversity, Ederin found solace in the unwavering support of her husband, whose steadfast presence and encouragement became her rock.
“We faced this together,” Henry said, his eyes filled with pride.
“We knew we couldn’t let this define us or hold us back from living a fulfilling life.”
The delivery
Continuing, Ederin said, “I was wheeled into the theatre and the surgeon said they couldn’t sedate me because of my high blood pressure. Soon, I saw my son and I heard his cry.
“I told them to give me my son as tears flowed down my cheeks.”
Ederin narrated that she held her baby in her trembling arms. Tears of wonder and gratitude flowed freely down her cheeks, mingling with the sweet scent of a newborn and the softness of baby Goodness’ skin.
This moment was the culmination of a journey paved with tears, prayers, and unwavering determination.
She said that although everything seemed well after the delivery of the baby, she still felt uncomfortable with recurring symptoms.
The new mum noted that she went back to the hospital and found out that she had to be in touch with the hospital regularly as she had to monitor her blood pressure.
“After visiting the hospital for like two weeks, I was told that what I had was postpartum high blood pressure.
“I was placed on medications and got the BP machine to check my blood pressure at intervals.”
Baby Goodness clocked one last Saturday, but his mother’s blood pressure is yet to return to normal. “I guess this is my own pregnancy scar,” Ederin said.
Experts weigh in
According to Mayo Clinic, postpartum preeclampsia is a rare condition that occurs when a woman has high blood pressure and excess protein in her urine soon after childbirth.
A study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher has found that 1 in 10 women who did not have hypertension before or during pregnancy may develop hypertension up to a year after they give birth.
A Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oladapo Ladipo, stated that a woman without high blood pressure could develop it after childbirth.
Whether or not you are predisposed to hypertension, the stress of child delivery can trigger it
Ladipo advised that a woman who feels unwell after delivery should see a maternal health expert immediately, especially if she has signs of headache, lethargy or general weakness.
“It is true that a woman that just had a baby and doesn’t have high blood pressure before and during labour can suddenly develop postpartum hypertension.
“You can have it before, you can have it during labour and you can have it after delivery too. You can have high blood pressure at any time. It can suddenly start at any time.
“It is for the midwife or obstetrician to monitor it and be on the lookout,” Ladipo said.
The maternal health expert restated the need to monitor a new mum for high blood pressure after childbirth, noting that the clinical chemistry of the woman often determines whether she will have postpartum hypertension or not.
He explained, “If you are predisposed to hypertension, for example, you have a family history of hypertension, are obese, or even if you don’t have it, the stress of delivery can trigger it.”
Also speaking, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr. Joseph Akinde, said inadequate rest and lack of sleep during pregnancy could increase the risk of a woman developing hypertension.
He urged pregnant women to always get sufficient rest and sleep, warning that failure to do so would expose them to the risk of premature labour, miscarriage, and hypertension.
