Swine Flu Puts New Mom into a Coma

Valerie Post, a 24-year-old mom that just gave birth via c-section

is currently in a coma.  Some sites are stating she is in a medically induced coma while others are stating it happened immediately during delivery, so I’m stating both until it is confirmed. Valerie gave birth two months early after experiencing a sore throat, backache with a fever. But when it wouldn’t go away they went immediately to the hospital, thinking it was just a false alarm. It wasn’t, the doctor quickly figured out she had the Swine Flu, aka H1N1.

The baby was in distress and they immediately did a caesarean section on August 7.  The hospital states the mom was placed on a respirator, had swelling and seven blood clots from her c-section opened up. The hospital waits for her to get better but no one knows for sure.

Bryan Post, husband of Valerie Post, has been having to run back and forth between the hospital and family since that day. While Valerie is laying in a hospital bed in a coma, her little baby has already been released from the hospital. The couple also have another child, a 16-month-old-girl named Trinity. When this all happened she went to stay with family members, currently they are also helping take care of the newborn while he tries being in two places at once.

While laying in this coma, Valerie has already been through emergency surgery after surgery, but it hasn’t gotten better.  I’ll continue to watch this story, hopefully I’ll be bringing a new update that she is home with her little girls.

Here’s some info from Tampa Bay.com:

Changes to the immune systems during pregnancy make it harder to shake the virus. During the second and third trimesters, as the mother’s lung capacity is reduced, a respiratory infection can become more serious.

When the mother has difficulty breathing, the baby is at risk too, noted Dr. Robert Yelverton, chief medical officer for Women’s Care Florida, a network of more than 100 doctors. But he stressed that pregnant women should not panic, as cases like Valerie Post’s are rare.

Tip:  Many people forget that the Swine Flu is a vicious thing and that while it may be mild in the average person, a baby or a pregnant woman are more vulnerable.  If you are pregnant and find yourself experiencing fever, couch, sore throat or difficulty breathing seek a doctor immediately.