In the News
For BabyCenter’s “So This Happened” series, Andrea Johnson shares her experience with amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), a serious and life-threatening complication that occurs during delivery or shortly after giving birth. According to Amber Samuel, M.D., a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Obstetrix® Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Houston, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group, AFE happens when cells from the baby's amniotic fluid get into a pregnant mom's blood and cause a dangerous reaction during labor and delivery. “Surviving AFE is almost certainly tied to early diagnosis on the part of the care team and intervention,” said Dr. Samuel. Providers treat the condition by stopping the bleeding, restarting the heart and providing support for the lungs. Fortunately, “it is incredibly unlikely that an AFE would ever occur again [in a subsequent pregnancy],” explained Dr. Samuel.
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