In the Press

 
 
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'If You Hemorrhage, Don't Clean Up': Advice From Mothers Who Almost Died

  • Adriana Gallardo

  • Nina Martin

  • Renee Montagne


Four days after Marie McCausland delivered her first child in May, she knew something was very wrong. She had intense pain in her upper chest, her blood pressure was rising, and she was so swollen that she barely recognized herself in the mirror. As she curled up in bed that evening, a scary thought flickered through her exhausted brain: "If I go to sleep right now, I don't know if I'm gonna be waking up."

 
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Many Nurses Lack Knowledge Of Health Risks To Mothers After Childbirth

  • Renee Montagne

In recent months, mothers who nearly died in the hours and days after giving birth have repeatedly told ProPublica and NPR that their doctors and nurses were often slow to recognize the warning signs that their bodies weren't healing properly.

A study published Tuesday in MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing substantiates some of those concerns. Researchers surveyed 372 postpartum nurses nationwide and found that many of them were ill-informed about the dangers mothers face after giving birth.

 
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Behind the Headline: Marie McCausland

  • Cynthia Gordy Giwa

Marie McCausland experienced painful symptoms days after giving birth, which she recognized from a ProPublica article on maternal mortality. “ProPublica’s reporting literally saved my life,” she said.