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Mom Codes During Birth, Survives Rare Heart Failure
31 Jan
Summary
- A mother experienced heart failure and coded during childbirth.
- She was diagnosed with rare peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
- A heart pump was crucial for her recovery and healing.
Casey Gould, a 34-year-old from Ohio, experienced a life-threatening medical emergency during childbirth in November 2024. After a prolonged labor, she witnessed a strange 'black fog' before her son's heart rate plummeted, necessitating an emergency C-section. Gould coded post-surgery and was placed on life support.
Doctors diagnosed Gould with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a rare form of heart failure occurring during late pregnancy or early postpartum. Her heart's ejection fraction was critically low at 13 percent, significantly below the normal 50-70 percent range. A minimally-invasive heart pump, the Impella CP, was instrumental in allowing her heart to rest and heal.
Gould remained hospitalized for nine days and has since been fitted with a heart pump. She cannot have more children due to PPCM risks. Despite the trauma, she is raising awareness for the condition on TikTok and undergoing therapy with her husband. Both mother and son are now doing well.
