More than 50,000 women suffer serious injuries or complications in childbirth each year in the United States. For many, it changes their lives forever. #1of50Khttp://maternal.usatoday.com
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Complications include stroke, seizures, hemorrhage and cardiac arrest. USA TODAY found many women could be spared these harms, but hospitals aren't following safety practices known to
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Lives like Ali Lowry’s. She's smiling here with her son Ryatt, but in 2013 she almost died giving birth to him in the same Ohio hospital where she worked as a delivery nurse. She alleges in a lawsuit her doctor and hospital could have done more to protect her.pic.twitter.com/O7xvPo8GOE
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As Ali began breastfeeding her newborn son after a C-section, her vision went black. She was bleeding internally. But she wouldn't get effective help for hours.pic.twitter.com/ya3eeY3sV9
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The signs were there. Her blood pressure had plummeted: 52 over 26, 57 over 25, 56 over 24, 59 over 27.
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The best practice is to measure cumulative blood loss by weighing blood-soaked pads or by collecting blood in containers from the start of delivery. Deposition testimony in her lawsuit shows the medical staff was visually estimating blood loss some of the time.pic.twitter.com/xcXVgb2rHA
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Blood soaked her bed. Her husband Shaun described what he saw:pic.twitter.com/FfKKf2PPLT
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The doctor took her back to surgery and removed 6 cups of blood but saw no active bleeding. When Ali still didn't improve, it became clear she needed a hysterectomy. But the hospital didn’t have enough matching blood for the operation.
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As she was being transferred to a different hospital, Ali went into cardiac arrest. Doctors there removed her uterus and found a lacerated artery. Had Ali stayed at her original hospital, said one physician, “she surely would have died.”
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Ali won't be able to give birth to more children. But she survived.pic.twitter.com/TSex2Xq7KL
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If you experienced serious harm during childbirth, you are not alone. You can share your story here: https://www.usatoday.com/deadly-deliveries/tell-your-story/ … #1of50K
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If you or a woman you love is pregnant, here's a guide to what to ask doctors and hospital staff to protect yourself from excessive bleeding or high blood pressure.
#protectmoms http://pregnancytips.usatoday.com0 replies 9 retweets 10 likesShow this threadThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
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