- An autopsy report shows that track and field star Tori Bowie died during childbirth, listing eclampsia and respiratory distress as possible causes.
- Eclampsia is a deadly pregnancy complication and is rare in the United States and other developed countries.
- But preeclampsia, which precedes eclampsia, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S.
- Preeclampsia could happen to anyone, but Black women face a higher risk.
- To reduce your risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia, knowing how to spot the warning signs could be life-saving.
Eclampsia, a severe form of preeclampsia, is a life threatening complication during pregnancy and childbirth.
This week, an autopsy report shared with The New York Times revealed that track star and Olympian Tori Bowie died at 32 from pregnancy complications. She was eight months pregnant. The autopsy cited eclampsia and respiratory distress as possible causes that led to her death earlier this spring.
On May 3, U.S.A. Track & Field confirmed that Bowie had died during childbirth at her home in Orlando, FL, but no cause of death had been reported. No one had seen or heard from her for several days.
Frentorish (Tori) Bowie was a sprinter who competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay and took silver in the 100 meters and bronze in the 200 meters.
Bowie’s former teammate and decorated Olympian, Allyson Felix,
For professional athletes, presumably in good physical health, how is it possible that pregnancy complications could be so deadly?
Dr. Sarah W. Prager, a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, told Healthline that eclampsia, which follows severe preeclampsia, could happen to anyone — but Black women are more at risk.
Eclampsia is a rare but serious condition where high blood pressure results in seizures during pregnancy. There are generally only a handful of cases in the United States and other high-income countries.
In fact, a large population-based
Yet preeclampsia, which precedes eclampsia, is more common, affecting 5% to 7% of all pregnancies worldwide and responsible for more than 70,000 maternal mortalities and 500,000 fetal deaths, according to
Preeclampsia is also the leading cause of maternal death in the U.S., admissions to maternal intensive care units, cesarean section, and premature births.
“If preeclampsia goes unrecognized (or) untreated, it can result in eclampsia, which means hypertensive seizure,” Prager said.
Anyone who experiences preeclampsia is at risk for eclampsia if the condition is not treated.
But the differences in a pregnant person’s health at baseline may increase their risk of developing preeclampsia and eclampsia, Prager explained.
“Some of the risk factors include first pregnancy or first pregnancy with a new partner,” she said.
Still, preeclampsia disproportionately affects Black women, as research has shown. Underlying risk factors, such as systemic racism in healthcare, are possible causes.
According to recent
“The new data from the NCHS also show a nearly 60% percent increase in maternal mortality rates in 2021 from 2019, just before the start of the pandemic,” said Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in a statement released in March.
“Just as concerning are worsening racial health inequities and the fact that pregnant and postpartum Black people continue to make up a disproportionate number of maternal deaths at growing and alarming rates. This trend must be stopped,” Hoskins added.
Hoskins said that addressing and eliminating racial health inequities should remain a top priority in public health.
“Black pregnant people have higher rates of most pregnancy complications, most if not all of which can be ascribed to racism baked into our medical system,” Prager noted.
“As far as I’m aware, this is the primary reason for increased rates of preeclampsia [or] eclampsia in the Black population in the U.S. — I’m not aware of other differences that lead to this,” she said.
Preeclampsia may strike without warning. If the condition occurs before a healthcare professional is able to identify it, it could lead to eclampsia and become fatal.
Warning signs of preeclampsia that could lead to eclampsia may include:
- headaches
- visual changes
- liver pain (right upper quadrant of the abdomen)
- a sudden increase in swelling
- new onset nausea or vomiting
To reduce the risk of preeclampsia, doctors often prescribe daily
“If people are at high risk for preeclampsia at baseline (history of preeclampsia, chronic [hypertension], diabetes, older age, etc.), then using baby aspirin through the pregnancy can help, along with looking at baseline liver and kidney health to have a comparator for later in pregnancy,” Prager said.
Prager added that if a person’s blood pressure becomes elevated during pregnancy, they should be assessed for preeclampsia.
Testing for preeclampsia may involve a lab technician administering a urine protein test and assessing different blood markers, Prager said, which may require increased surveillance and earlier delivery.
“The treatment is delivery of the placenta (and obviously the fetus), though some develop preeclampsia [or] eclampsia after delivery,” Prager explained.
Eclampsia is a deadly complication that may occur before, during, or after childbirth. It is what follows after a pregnant person experiences preeclampsia, which is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S.
Black women like Tori Bowie and Allyson Felix face a higher risk of developing preeclampsia. Bowie’s untimely death may have resulted from untreated preeclampsia, which led to eclampsia, her autopsy reported.
To minimize your risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia, it’s important to watch for the warning signs and report any possible symptoms to your healthcare team immediately.
“Recognizing and treating preeclampsia (if not preventing it) are the best ways to reduce the risk of eclampsia,” Prager said.
