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Jacalyn Wetzel

Women's Health

Three moms share how they survived pregnancy related heart failure and symptoms to look for

Black women are at a much higher risk for the rare condition and no one knows why.

Moms share their symptoms of pregnancy related heart failure.

While many view pregnancy as not only natural but a beautiful part of the human experience, it can be easy to forget that pregnancy can also be extremely dangerous. The body goes through many intense changes that can really take a heavy toll: everything from gaining an extra 15 to 30+ pounds and organs being rearranged to make room for a growing fetus, to your heart pumping an excess amount of blood throughout the body.

It can all take an immense toll on the body, which can sometimes lead to serious pregnancy related illnesses like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, hyperemesis gravidarum, and heart failure. Upworthy spoke with three women during Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17, 2025) who survived peripartum cardiomyopathy, better known as pregnancy related heart failure. Though the condition is extremely rare, Black women are at a much higher risk of experiencing it though researchers currently aren't sure why.

pregnancy, mothers, babies, black mothers, black maternal health weekDoctor checking on a pregnant woman. Photo credit: Canva

Tina Marsden, Tracey Young and Tiara Johnson all experienced pregnancy related heart failure during pregnancy or shortly after the birth of their second children. Given their unique experiences, they are all working to make sure other women know what symptoms to look for so they can be treated early to improve chances of survival.

Each of the women had symptoms that could've been brushed off as normal symptoms of pregnancy. In fact, Marsden's symptoms were initially dismissed. "Looking back, I experienced abnormal levels of fluid retention and shortness of breath during my last trimester," she said. "I was already on bedrest due to an incompetent cervix that caused me to start dilating at just 13 weeks into my pregnancy. Even still, my symptoms were considered normal for a high risk pregnancy, instead of being viewed as warning signs for my individual case."

pregnant woman, pregnancy, pregnancy health, black maternal health week, womenPregnant woman looks at a tablet while holding her belly. Photo credit: Canva

While both Young and Johnson's symptoms were marked by shortness of breath, Young nearly missed the warning sign, telling Upworthy, "Shortly after giving birth to my second child, Amber, I began experiencing shortness of breath. Initially, I attributed this to the physical demands of having just given birth and chose to overlook it. However, as the weeks progressed and the symptoms persisted, I started to wonder if I was developing asthma. I found it difficult to lie flat on my back, and even a brief shower left me feeling exhausted as if I had just run a marathon. After six weeks of these symptoms, I decided to schedule an appointment with my Primary Care Physician."

Johnson also initially dismissed the warning. Having a baby is taxing on the body, so it's unsurprising that some of the symptoms were attributed to recently giving birth. "I was out of breath doing small things like just walking from one room to another. At first, I chalked it up to having just had a baby, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right. I felt nothing like I did with my first daughter and fatigue was beyond 'new mom tired.' My heart would race, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe both laying down and sitting up."

pregnant woman, black woman, black maternal health week, motherhood, doctor, Doctor examines a pregnant woman.Photo credit: Canva

One might think that recognizing the symptoms would be enough to get the care that is needed, but unfortunately that isn't always the case. Johnson had to visit the hospital multiple times just to get someone to listen to her, she explains to Upworthy: "Yes, I had a lot of trouble. I went to the hospital multiple times before anyone really listened to me. I kept being told it was postpartum anxiety or just stress from being a new mom but it was heart failure. I needed a transplant from the start, but my heart was too weak and my BMI was too high to qualify. I had to fight for every ounce of care I got."

Marsden also found herself fighting to get the medical attention that she initially needed. "While I was under the care of a high risk ob/gyn I still felt like my concerns were not being heard. I encourage expecting mothers to seek a second opinion, and not allow their individual case to be dismissed as 'normal.' There's a thin line between normal symptoms and warning signs of pregnancy induced heart failure, which can have life-altering effects. It's been over two decades since my PPCM diagnosis; and thankfully my Abbott HeartMate II LVAD is helping me to sustain life."

pregnant woman, woman with child, kids, pregnant, pregnancy, pregnancy heart failure. Pregnant woman. Photo credit: Canva

The story of trying to convince medical professionals to take concerns seriously seems to be a common theme, but thankfully Young found a listening ear in her primary care physician. It was during her routine checkup that she mentioned her elevated blood pressure at her last OBGYN check up, Young says the conversation ended there. "After my evaluation, my Primary Care Physician promptly responded to my medical needs by contacting 911, which led to my transportation to the hospital’s emergency room. The hospital cardiologist diagnosed me with Post-Partum Cardiomyopathy. The prognosis I was given was grim, as I was told I would not live to see my daughter turn five."

It was due to the women's determination to advocate for themselves that they're still here to tell their stories to shed light for other expectant moms. The biggest piece of advice all the women give is to listen to your body if something doesn't feel right.

pregnant woman, pregnancy, woman eating, woman with child, pregnant Pregnancy can be high risk for some. Photo credit: Canva

"If you feel unsure about your health or believe something might be wrong, please don’t hesitate to seek medical advice immediately. Having questions is normal, and being your advocate during this time is so important," Young says.

"My advice to expectant moms is not to be afraid or dismissive. Some moms hear stories from others and fear the worst, while others assume those cases are just 'rare' incidents. I encourage expectant moms to consider the experiences shared by advocates like myself as Awareness Tools. Expectant moms should discuss the various Awareness Tools they've come across with their healthcare team to devise a plan that best fits their family's needs," Marsden shares.

"To anyone who feels something is off—please don’t ignore it. Push for answers. Advocate for yourself and don’t stop until you get the care you deserve. You don’t have to be a doctor to know something’s wrong in your body. Never be afraid to get a second opinion," Johnson adds.

pregnancy, pregnant woman, ultrasound, pregnancy health, maternal healthcareWoman receiving an ultrasound. Photo credit: Canva

Each of these women have become advocates so no other mom has to go through what they have without being armed with knowledge. They were all helped by ABBOTT heart devices that gave their doctors real-time readings of what their hearts were doing. Though, Johnson ultimately ended up getting a heart transplant, she credits her ABBOTT devices with giving her the life she thought she'd lose back to her.

"Receiving a diagnosis of heart failure doesn’t signify the end; instead, it opens the door to a new way of living life. Thanks to numerous medical advancements, people with heart failure can achieve a fulfilling life," reveals Young.

Popular

Frustrated mom puts baby shampoo in her own eyes to test which are truly 'tear free'

"Trying 'tear free' baby shampoos to see if our babies are being dramatic."

Mom tests 'tear-free' baby shampoo in her eyes. Some burn badly.

Having a baby can be stressful, especially because parents just want to do what's best for them. Because babies can't talk, though, it's hard to know if there's a problem. Of course, babies cry to alert us they need tending to, but are they crying because they're in pain or because they don't like bath water touching their face? Do they need a diaper change or is their left sock soggy because they just discovered they could put their foot in their mouth? The answer to "Why is my baby crying?" can be anything, but the last thing a parent wants it to be is pain.

Tori Keller has been having a hard time washing her children's hair due to all the crying even though she uses "tear free" shampoo. The bath time dramatics were enough to make her wonder if the problem was her children simply not liking their hair being washed or if it was the shampoo. Keller decided to put the baby shampoo to the test using her own eyeballs so she would know once and for all.

gif, baby, bath time, hair washing, baths, babiesBeauty Baby GIF by Aksan KozmetikGiphy

In her totally scientific experiment, the young mom happily hopped into the running shower wearing what appears to be workout clothing. Once she gets in and wets her face under the shower head, her husband, who is standing off to the side, squirts a couple of pumps of baby shampoo on her forehead and rubs it in, being sure to get it on her eyes. First up is the very familiar and extremely popular Johnson's baby shampoo, and quite honestly, the results look painful.

Nearly immediately after opening her eyes the shampoo burned so badly that she forgot she was standing right next to running water. Keller keeps yelling "Oh!" in increasing intensity as she seemingly doesn't know how to make the stinging stop. Finally, her husband points her in the direction of the shower head. "That one's bad" she says with her eyes are still closed.

shower, burning, eyes, shampoo, soap in eyes, painScreaming Oh God GIF by Film RiotGiphy

Next up is Aveeno Kids, which also claims to be tear-free. Much to the mom's relief, it is much less intense. Keller declares that it's "not terrible, it's a tiny bit of a sting." Phew. Aveeno still seems to be in the running for actually being tear-free, but she still has more shampoos to go. Next on deck is Honest Calm Shampoo and Body Wash and, once again, the discomfort is instant. It took Keller quite a bit of time to rid her eyes of the stinging.

@torikeller PART 3 of trying baby products 🤪 I’ll let you guys know if i can see tomorrow! What’s next?! #sahm #mom #motherhood #babyproducts #momcontent ♬ original sound - torikeller

The last one Keller tries is Equate Baby Shampoo which is also very uncomfortable. Keller really is a trooper because in other videos, she tries even more baby shampoos. People in the comments were thankful for the mom's dedication to "research" while others had bones to pick with their own mothers after seeing the results.

"This is so smart thank you for doing that. Aveeno it is for my baby!" one person says.

"I’m about to send this to my mom she SWORE the Johnson’s wasn’t burning my eyes as a child but it does!!!!!!"

"Thank you for your scientific research"

"I’ve never found a tear free product that didn’t obliterate my eyes. I still haven’t found a sunscreen that I can use on my face without going blind."

"This is so helpful! Thank you for taking one for the team babies!" one viewer cheers.

Kindergartener calls school impersonating dad to pull a Ferris Bueller.

Kindergarten is hard. Nowadays there's a lot less playing and many school districts have cut out naps and half-day programs in exchange for more seated, curriculum-heavy work. Sometimes the shift in workload can feel like a little too much, especially for a kindergartener named Lyric. The little girl decided to take a day to herself to reflect on the hard work she's doing in kindergarten. The only problem is she didn't her parents.

Instead, Lyric decided to call her elementary school the evening prior to her self-scheduled mini vacation and impersonate her father. She left a very clever voicemail in the attendance office informing them that she would not be attending school the following day. To disguise her voice, she spoke as deeply as possible and hoped that would do the trick. The only problem with her genius plan was that she's not in charge of taking herself to school.

gif, school, skipping school, day off, kidsEpisode 7 No School GIF by South ParkGiphy

Skipping school, or in this case, attempting to skip school is nothing new. Students have been skipping out on classes since the first school house was built because, even before iPads, playing with a ball in a cup was more exciting than classwork for most students. The 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off is all about a kid who decided to skip school, though Ferris was a wee bit older than a kindergartener.

Lyric's mom had no idea her daughter attempted to get out of going to school until she was called into the office about the voicemail. Surprisingly, though, Lyric's school wasn't upset with her. The elementary school officials found the voicemail amusing and wanted to share the unbelievable impersonation with her mom.

gif, skip school, day off, Ferris bueller, fiilm Ferris Buellers Day Off Film GIFGiphy

"I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like mine but let me tell y'all what just happened," Tyonda, the girl's mother, starts to explain in her video uploaded to TikTok. "I go to drop her off at school, the ladies in the front office are like, 'yeah, we we received a message last night,." Tyonda already suspected the message was from her daughter. "I'm never amazed. It's like the element of surprise with her. So, they play the message back. My daughter tried to act like her daddy and call herself out of school. What in the Ferris Bueller is going on here? Baby, you're in kindergarten."

You can listen to Lyric's attempt at her dad's voice here:

Apparently, the girl's impersonation of her father's voice is much deeper voice than his actual voice, which is pretty impressive for a six-year-old girl. People found Lyric's antics highly amusing, with some issuing warnings for the girl's teenage years, "Buckle up honey, the next 13-14 years bout to be wild."

"I’m expecting a teenager a KINDERGARTENER???!!!" one person writes.

"We need to hear daddy’s voice before we can say if it was or wasn’t him," another jokes.

gif, hide, imposter, joke, prank, funnySunglasses Hiding GIF by Soul TrainGiphy

"The thing is ..... this was practiced and planned. she had the number, the voice and a mission," someone shares.

"But wait yall have to drop her off at school where was she gonna go if that worked?" another commenter asks.

Lyric was unconvinced that she did not sound exactly like her dad. In a follow up video the little girl insists that she sounds like her father and reveals she was able to get the number to the school from Apple Maps on her iPad. It also seems that Lyric has zero regrets and plans to continue her shenanigans well into high school.

@keepingupwityonda

Replying to @itsshamitch💋

Cat learns to run on two feet after front leg amputations.

Babies are really adaptable, and the same can be said for baby animals. It's likely because they just don't know any other way of life, so they just go with it what they're given and, miraculously, make it work. Even knowing that, however, it's still hard to imagine a kitten getting around without their front legs.

Cats essentially use everything from their whiskers to their tails to balance, so how would one walk without two of it's four legs? The answer is, carefully at first. Duck is a rescued kitten who, unfortunately, had to have both of her front legs completely amputated. While she was wobbly at first, she quickly adapted.

Duck's human, Cody, shares her daily shenanigans on his Instagram page aptly named Purrasic Duck. In 2020, he told Duck's story to The Dodo, revealing how she was rescued and how, against all odds, she developed her agile moves. If you're having a hard time picturing a two-legged cat on the run, it looks a lot like a furry velociraptor chasing a laser pointer.

"I ended up naming her Duck because she kinda waddled. She'd kinda take it slow, she waddled trying to figure out her balance," Cody told The Dodo.

Before long, Duck was off to play with her much larger dog brothers. Her pug brother even offers her a little assistance in the face cleaning area since Duck doesn't have paws to do it herself. She returns the favor by cleaning his face too. It's an adorable relationship, but if you want to see a furry velociraptor chase after cat toys, you'll need to watch the video below.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Cody met Duck when she was found and brought into his sister's animal clinic. "She was probably chilling in a car engine and her legs got caught up, and she survived that!" Cody can be heard saying as a voice over in the video. At first, Cody's sister brought her over as a potential foster, but after just one day, Cody decided to keep her for his own. "When I met her, I just fell in love immediately," he said.

Duck has no shortage of friends to play with at home, either. In addition to her dog brothers, Cody rescues and either keeps or fosters plenty of baby animals, from chickens, turtles, and opossums to a raccoon, a squirrel, and of course, more dogs and cats. Duck also has a sister named Goose, who's an adorable gray kitty with just one eye. Here they are hanging out together:

@purrasicduck

A great surprise #animals #foryou #mememaker #fitness #girls

Today, Duck is no longer a baby and has gotten this two-legged life down pat. She's living happily with dad Cody and her many, many, many animal siblings and friends. On her social media pages, Cody includes a useful link for other pet parents, rescuers, and fosterers with recommended products to help make the rescue and rehoming process easy for everyone. Check it out here.

@purrasicduck

Alllllll the animals #CapCut #pets #rescue #foryou #foryoupage

Cody has got quite the rescue menagerie going and and it's so inspiring.


This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.