A mother made the ultimate sacrifice when she gave her own life so that her newborn child could live.
She chose to risk her own life so her son can survive
Karisa Bugal’s delivery was supposed to be a run-of-the-mill procedure, but when her doctors found out that she had an Amniotic Fluid Embolism, a condition that affects one in every 100,000 deliveries, wherein the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby gets into the mother’s bloodstream, causing the organs to shut down.
She had to make a quick decision to choose between a C-section with anesthesia which would put her life at risk, or a C-section where she was awake, which would then put her newborn’s life at risk.
She chose to risk her own life so that her son can survive.
She asked the doctors how much her newborn weighed, then she passed away
Working quickly, the doctors successfully delivered her son, Declan. But sadly, Karisa didn’t make it. The last thing she asked the doctors was how much her newborn weighed, then she passed away.
Photo from: Youtube.com/ USA Today
Karisa’s husband, Wes Bugal, shares “How do I explain to him that his mum is gone giving birth to him? I think about that all the time. How do I explain when he asks ‘Where’s Mummy?'”
In spite of their loss, the Bugals are thankful for the new addition to their family, as well as the knowledge that Karisa loved her family so much that she chose to sacrifice her own life for her son.
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What things can put a pregnancy at risk?
Sadly, the condition that ended Karisa’s life, Amniotic Fluid Embolism, can’t be prevented. However, it’s still important to know what things can put your pregnancy at risk. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Preexisting conditions – These factors include high blood pressure, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, and any other similar condition that the mother had before being pregnant.
- Mother’s age – Teens that are pregnant have a higher chance of developing anemia or high blood pressure. On the other hand, pregnant women above 35 have increased chances of delivery complications and even Down syndrome.
- Lifestyle choices – Alcohol use, drug use, and cigarette smoking can all have negative effects during the pregnancy. These can cause deformities in the baby and higher chances of stillbirth/miscarriage.
- Other conditions during pregnancy – These would include factors such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and eclampsia, and other conditions that the mother has acquired during the course of her pregnancy.
As always, make sure to work closely with your doctor since they would best know how to reduce the risks during your pregnancy.
Sources: parentherald.com, littlethings.com, nichd.nih.gov
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