it's an incredibly rare condition which can strike in pregnancy or birth in which amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris enters the mother's blood stream via the placental bed of the uterus or other blood vessels and triggers a massive allergic reaction in the mother, most often resulting in death of mother and/or child.
I survived one in 2006, and I've been doing the maths since I got my reminder email from my friend Vicki (another survivor) about AFE memorial day.
here's the calculations: 1/20 000 ish deliveries according to latest research results in an AFE, so out of every 100 000 deliveries there will be 4 AFE sufferers. out of those 2 women will survive first hour. out of those 1 woman will survive the second stage (which can include heart a...ttack, cardiovascular collapse, massive allergic reactions and blood clotting problems). so basically, I'm 10/1000 000.... big numbers.
no details are compiled as yet to answer the question of what problems survivors are left with, but all the ones I know have some degree of mental processing problems ranging from poor memory to full-on stroke style symptoms; often due to oxygen starvation during resuscitation. Some unfortunates are left severely disabled by this horrific and barely understood condition.
There's also no data on infant mortality due to AFE either. or at least, I've never been able to find any!!
(we share the blue and pink ribbon with baby/infant loss, birth defects, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), infertility, male breast cancer, premature birth, safe haven, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.... nobody in the foundation has come up with a colour of our own yet lol!)
so, if you have a chance, Please spare a thought on 27 March at 21:15 to remember those not so fortunate and their families. I know I will.
thanks for reading. *climbs off soap box* *falls over 'cos of terrible balance* *stands up like a trouper*
