No matter how much you try to prepare for your first pregnancy, there’s still so much to discover during those nine months.

That’s exactly what happened to a 28-year-old woman named Emily Nagle (@eminaegle). The content creator and new mother shared her story on TikTok about being diagnosed with heart disease, specifically peripartum cardiomyopathy, during the third trimester of her pregnancy.

Her video, which has nearly 500,000 views, begins with on-screen text that reads, “The story of a girl who nearly died eating turkey sandwiches throughout her pregnancy,” and explains how deli meat was the cause of her near-death. It is shown as if it were. experience.

Emily goes on to say in the video, “Nobody told me that the number one cause of maternal death in the United States is not only on the rise, but heart disease, specifically cardiomyopathy, or weakening of the heart muscle. I didn’t. I had never heard of it.” Words spoken about heart disease during pregnancy. ”

Towards the end of her pregnancy, Emily began experiencing what she thought were normal pregnancy symptoms, including low blood pressure, low and irregular heart rate, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, and extreme weight gain.

Emily told BuzzFeed: “When I was in labor, the labor and delivery nurses noticed that my heartbeat was irregular. It was very low, between 35 and 45 bpm. , it would randomly jump up to probably 80 to 120 bpm without me even moving.” For example, I was advised to see a cardiologist in a few months. ”

“I ended up having a C-section, but everything seemed normal. As I was getting ready to leave the hospital to go home, I collapsed. The doctor performed an electrocardiogram and found that there was no abnormality. Then, an echocardiogram showed that my heart was enlarged and weakened. [ejection fraction] 35%. “Normal is 55% or higher,” she continued.

At that time, Emily was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). She had no previous heart-related problems and no family history of her.

PPCM is often difficult to diagnose. “Symptoms may appear gradually or suddenly and resemble normal third-trimester symptoms, so milder cases may go undiagnosed,” says cardiologist and founder of Whole Heart Cardiology , said Dr. Nicole Harkin, FACC. he told BuzzFeed.

Emily said receiving the diagnosis was emotional. “Once you are diagnosed with PPCM, you are at high risk of having a weak heart in subsequent pregnancies.The birth of my daughter was a wonderful experience, but a few days later I was told that I would not be able to have another child. I just had depression.” The two events were very contrasting and evoked different emotions. ”

Dr. Lauren Lastinger, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, agreed, explaining to BuzzFeed, “In most cases of PPCM, the heart muscle recovers completely normally. There is still a 50% chance that a woman’s heart will recover.” Heart failure may return in subsequent pregnancies, and if it does, there is a good chance that the weakened heart muscle will not fully recover the second time. ”

“If the heart muscle does not fully recover, women are at an even higher risk of worsening heart failure and up to a 20% chance of death in subsequent pregnancies,” Dr. Lastinger added.

According to Dr. Lastinger, the good news is that PPCM is rare (it can only occur in pregnant or recently postpartum women), but the bad news is that there is no way to prevent it. . “Because it is not fully understood why PPCM occurs, there is no way to prevent it. However, we should increase education and awareness about the signs and symptoms of PPCM and increase the education of health care providers about the diagnosis of PPCM.” “By doing so, we hope to raise awareness of PPCM,” she explained.

Since her diagnosis, Emily has tried to stay active several days a week and has adopted a low-sodium diet. “I also took a lot of different medications. Initially, I was on diuretics and water pills to remove excess fluid from my chest, as well as two blood pressure medications. Now I’m on medication. “I’m on just metoprolol, a common blood pressure medication, and I plan to continue taking it for the rest of my life,” she told BuzzFeed.

“What makes it difficult is that [the medication] As your blood pressure drops, you may feel tired, light-headed, and light-headed. It took a bit of trial and error to find the right dose to keep up with a busy toddler. Overall, I’m doing well and I’m just grateful to be alive,” Emily added.

Dr. Lastinger advises women who have undergone PPCM to always consult a cardiologist first if they plan to become pregnant again. “The importance of discussing the risks of subsequent pregnancies with a cardiologist cannot be overstated, and these women should be referred to a cardio-obstetric specialist for appropriate counseling. I recommend finding a knowledgeable cardiologist,” she advised.

Finally, note that PPCM is more common in women of African descent, multiple pregnancies (such as twins or triplets), and women who have had preeclampsia, eclampsia, or postpartum hypertension (high blood pressure). is important. , according to Dr. Lastinger.

As always, you know your body best. If you notice anything unusual, be sure to talk to your doctor and advocate for yourself.