A Surprise Pregnancy: Danielle's Emergency Delivery Because of Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Danielle's life took a shocking turn when, during a medical emergency, she discovered she was six months pregnant. With no prior indication of pregnancy, Danielle faced the daunting reality of preeclampsia and eclampsia, a condition that put both her life and her baby’s at risk.

"I was in shock. I didn’t even know I was pregnant, and now I had a premature baby fighting for her life."

A Day That Started Like Any Other

“It all started on a Wednesday night,” Danielle recalls. “I had gone to work that day, but I felt off. I had a really bad migraine, which was unusual for me.” Despite trying to push through the discomfort, her symptoms worsened.

"‘I don’t feel good, something doesn’t feel right,’ but we thought it was just a headache.”

After work, she went home to her fiancé, Josh, and they began making dinner. “We were making chili, and I told him, ‘I don’t feel good, something doesn’t feel right,’ but we thought it was just a headache.”

Later that evening, Danielle decided to go to bed early, feeling too unwell to continue watching TV with Josh. She had no idea that she was about to experience a medical emergency. “I don’t remember this part, but apparently I threw up and didn’t flush the toilet, which is very unlike me,” she says.

When Josh joined Danielle in bed, suddenly the bed started violently shaking. Danielle was having a seizure. Thanks to his military medical training, Josh knew how to handle the situation. He immediately turned her onto her side and called 911.

The Shocking Surprise Pregnancy at the Hospital

When Danielle arrived at the emergency room, doctors were baffled by her symptoms. “My blood pressure was 210/124, and I was going in and out of seizures,” Danielle explains. The medical team began asking questions about her health history, including whether she was pregnant. “Josh told them, ‘No, she’s not pregnant. I live with her, and we had no reason to think she was,’” Danielle recalls.

However, as doctors continued running tests, they discovered something shocking—Danielle was pregnant.

“They did an ultrasound and found out I was 24 weeks pregnant,” she recalls. “It was such a shock because I had no pregnancy symptoms. I was still getting my period every month, I wasn’t gaining weight, and I never started showing.”

An Emergency Delivery to Save Both Lives

Danielle’s condition was deteriorating rapidly. The medical team diagnosed her with severe preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure and can lead to life-threatening complications. “The doctors told Josh, ‘We have to deliver the baby now. If we don’t, we can’t save her or the baby,’” Danielle recalls. She was rushed into an emergency C-section, still unaware of the gravity of the situation as she was under general anesthesia.

Her daughter, Charlotte, was born at 24 weeks, weighing just 1 pound, 6 ounces. “She literally fit in the palm of my hand,” Danielle says. Charlotte was immediately placed on a ventilator and into an incubator to stabilize her.

The Long Road to Recovery

As Charlotte was rushed to the NICU, Danielle remained in critical condition, suffering from brain swelling and unresponsiveness due to the seizures. “I was in an unresponsive state for several days,” Danielle explains. “They put me in a medically induced coma, and I was on a ventilator myself because my body was reacting so severely.”

"It took about seven months for my blood pressure to regulate, and I had to go through a lot of follow-up MRI and CAT scans because of all the seizures and brain swelling.”

Despite the severity of her condition, Danielle eventually regained consciousness and began her recovery. "It took about seven months for my blood pressure to regulate, and I had to go through a lot of follow-up MRI and CAT scans because of all the seizures and brain swelling.”

It wasn’t until days later that Danielle fully grasped what had happened. “I didn’t know about Charlotte until November 1st, a few days after she was born. My husband and mom were there, and they told me I had a baby.” It was an overwhelming revelation. “At first, I was in shock. I didn’t even know I was pregnant, and now I had a premature baby fighting for her life.”

Danielle credits her extraordinary NICU team for her daughter's care. “The first month was very touch-and-go,” Danielle recalls, sharing that Charlotte faced numerous challenges. "They told me she had about a 22% survival rate, but the NICU team was amazing. They did everything they could, and I spent as much time as I could with her."

Facing the Challenges of Preeclampsia

Danielle’s pregnancy had been completely asymptomatic, which made the diagnosis even more surprising. “I was still getting my period, not gaining weight, and not showing any signs. It was only during the emergency that we found out I was pregnant,” she says. Doctors explained that Charlotte had been sitting posteriorly, which could explain why Danielle never showed outward signs of pregnancy.

Reflecting on the experience, Danielle emphasizes the importance of awareness. “Before this happened, I didn’t know anything about preeclampsia. I didn’t know it could happen so suddenly and without warning.” Despite the lack of symptoms leading up to the crisis, Danielle’s experience serves as a stark reminder of how quickly things can change.

Becoming A Family

Danielle’s journey is one of both shock and resilience. “I never imagined going from not knowing I was pregnant to having a 24-week preemie,” she says.

Today, Charlotte is four years old and continues to thrive. Danielle is grateful for the medical care that saved both of their lives. "It's overwhelming, but I’m just so thankful. We had such an incredible team, and Charlotte is here today because of that.

Danielle’s second pregnancy was closely monitored due to her history of eclampsia. From early on, she was considered high-risk and was under the care of her OB and maternal-fetal medicine specialist. “I had to take my blood pressure at home every day, starting baby aspirin at 12 weeks to help prevent pre-eclampsia,” she explains. Despite regular checkups, blood work, and ultrasounds, she was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia again at 26 weeks.

Danielle managed to carry her second daughter, Genevieve, to 33 weeks. “Around 32 weeks, my blood pressure spiked, and I was admitted for monitoring,” she recalls. After being placed on a magnesium drip to prevent seizures, she delivered Genevieve via C-section.

While Genevieve spent 42 days in the NICU, her condition was much less severe than her older sister’s, allowing for a smoother recovery for both mother and baby. “This recovery was easier, mentally and physically, because I knew what to expect,” Danielle says.