Mom's Health Battle: Navigating Career & Maternity

A sports journalist recounts covering the Las Vegas Aces' 2025 championship season while pregnant and battling preeclampsia, a serious high blood pressure disorder. She faced workplace stigma, with a peer suggesting her potential was ruined by motherhood. This fear contrasted with the eventual support found within the women's basketball community.

Despite medical advice initially dismissing her symptoms like swelling and high blood pressure, a diligent doctor ordered further tests. This led to a preeclampsia diagnosis and an emergency induction. However, the hospital's overcrowding delayed critical care for over 12 hours.

Fortunately, family members, including medical professionals, intervened and facilitated her transfer to an emergency wing, averting a crisis. The author highlights the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates in the U.S., especially for Black women, and draws parallels to athletes like Allyson Felix and the late Tori Bowie.

Returning to work after maternity leave, she still encountered stigma. However, covering women's basketball offered a uniquely supportive environment, with coaches and staff offering encouragement and advice. She ultimately watched the championship parade from a hospital bed, having delivered her son the day before, feeling fulfilled rather than having missed out.