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Donated Blood Saves This Young Mom After Delivery

Writer's picture: NEIA Red CrossNEIA Red Cross

By Janet Flanagan


Imagine planning for your first-born baby, attending classes, reading books, and going into delivery expecting a healthy birth; only to wake up on a ventilator in intensive care, and learn you are alive because of lifesaving blood and the heroic efforts of healthcare providers.


That’s what happened to Rachel Slifka, 33 of West Des Moines, Iowa nearly three years ago.

“I was 39 weeks pregnant, and everything had been healthy until then,” Slifka said. “My blood pressure was creeping up, so my doctor decided to induce me. I went into the hospital March 3 of 2022 at 8 pm and had Benjamin at 1 pm on March 4. After my water broke, it was a very fast labor.”


Baby boy Benjamin was born at a healthy 7 lb. 1 ounce.


Rachel Slifka and her son, Benjamin

“I was given an epidural, gave birth and felt really good throughout the whole process,” Slifka said. “They laid Benjamin on my chest for one minute then took him away to examine him and started performing the fundal massage on me.”


Slifka said the massage, performed to help the uterus contract and reduce bleeding, was going on longer than she expected.


“I had no idea I was having bleeding issues and then 15 minutes after my son was born, I started vomiting excessively. I remember being rolled into the OR. I was in and out of it. The last thing I remember was the chaos of the OR, and hearing feedback from the doctors that my bleeding was really bad.


“I learned I was in the OR most of that night,” Slifka said. “I lost my ability to clot which dangerously lowered my oxygen level. I received 20 units of blood.”


Slifka said nurses and physicians tried several techniques to stop her bleeding.


They injected a special medication.


It failed.


Her obstetrician inserted a Bakri balloon in the uterus to pressure the sides to stop the bleeding.


It failed.


As a last effort to save her uterus and prevent a hysterectomy, her obstetrician then performed a uterine artery embolization, which injects foam into uterine arteries to block blood flow.


Success!


Hours after delivery, Slifka should have been cradling her baby and checking his toes and fingers.


Instead, “I was on a ventilator in the ICU,” Slifka said. “It was pretty miraculous that I survived and was discharged after five days in the hospital.”


Slifka said her OB suspected the crisis was caused by an Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE,) an unexpected life-threatening complication that can affect both mother and baby during labor or soon after delivery. It could result from an allergic-like reaction to the fluid that enters the mother’s bloodstream. There is no known cause, and AFE is not preventable.


“After I left the hospital my OB took some time to study my case and referred me to a perinatologist,” she said. “My husband Andrew has been truly my rock. He comes to all my appointments and has been with me through every step.”

The Slifka family

Little Benjamin is thriving, she added. AFE can be extremely dangerous to babies, but after his birth Benjamin suffered no effects.


“Benjamin is awesome and about to turn 3,” she said. “He’s really energetic, such a great kid. He loves airplanes, spaceships and race cars.”


Can she have more children?


“The exciting news is I am pregnant again and due in March,” she said. It’s another boy!

Since AFE has never been recorded to happen twice to a mother, Slifka feels fairly confident about her upcoming delivery. The hospital will have the blood bank on alert, and Slifka said there are new medical devices to help hemorrhages, in case she experiences problems again.


Today, Slifka, a former blood donor herself, is a champion for blood donations.


“I connected with the American Red Cross Iowa office over my story,” she said. “I’m officially a committee fellow. I work with the board and serve on the biomed committee.”


The American Red Cross must collect enough blood every day to meet the needs of accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.


“My ultimate message is you could need blood at a moment’s notice,” Slifka said. “Donating is such an easy way to help others. It could save the life of someone you love and it’s free. Had there not been enough blood in the hospital blood bank at the time, I likely would not be here.”


January is National Blood Donor Month. Since blood donations traditionally drop during winter because of severe weather and seasonal illnesses, it’s an ideal time to recognize blood donors, and to inspire new ones.


Slifka, a senior HR manager at Pella Corp, also turned into a champion for AFE education. She helped convince Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to declare March 27 as AFE Awareness Day in Iowa to engage with others about this life-threatening emergency and save lives.


“I hope to use my story to help healthcare providers better recognize the signs and understand AFE and blood disorders,” she said.


Slifka has suffered with some PTSD, anemia and severe asthma from her birth crisis, but she looks at the bright side of her health crisis.


“It’s one of those things that could define my life negatively or positively. I see it as a blessing.”

 

To learn locations, dates and times where you can help others by donating blood in your area visit redcrossblood.org.



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