In a tragic case, popular influencer Hailey Okula, 33, died March 29 from amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) hours after delivering son Crew via C-section following IVF. At the time of the tragedy, Husband Matthew chose to follow her to the ICU, watching resuscitation fail. The horrible tragedy has remained in the news because of her husband’s continued statements on it and the attention it has drawn to the risks of childbirth.
In a series of remarks, biother immediately after their death and months later, He chose to share Hailey’s story to raise awareness, narrating memories of infant Crew to preserve her legacy. When news reached social media, users responded with an outpouring of sympathy.
Reacting to the horrific accident at the time, Matthew Okula asked, “How is this even possible?” At the time, he remembered thinking, “It was a pretty special moment… we did it. We’re finally going to be able to start the family we’ve always been talking about.”
Speaking several months later, HE recounted, “It’s my way of making sure I remember the little details of things she used to say to me. If I don’t say them to Crew, then maybe I’ll forget them… I don’t want to forget them.”
In an Aug. 27 Instagram post, he noted,“We’re coming up on 5 months without Hailey. I promised I’d be transparent and share the good and the bad, so here it is. Some nights I’m crying in the dark, wishing she could be here to hold him, to see him, to live the life she worked so hard for. It’s all so bittersweet. We miss and love you, Hailey.”
When the news made its way to social media, users were upset by the tragic news.”This beautiful influencer, nurse Hailey Okula, gained a large following by showing her struggles to get pregnant during two years. Unfortunately, she passed away last week due to birth complications. I can’t imagine the pain her husband must be feeling right now. RIP. 💔” one user posted.
Reacting to the same story, another woman wrote, “So heartbreaking… I can’t imagine the weight her husband is carrying. But that’s also why motherhood is so powerful because women willingly put their lives on the line to bring life into the world. Hailey was, without a doubt, a mother. Even if she didn’t get to hold her baby outside the womb, her love and sacrifice speak louder than words. May she rest in peace.”
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Contextualizing the medical details, Dr. Kisha Davis said, “Childbirth is not a fear that we should have. “Adding, “I’m worried as a … woman, and my friends are worried about having babies… We shouldn’t still be dealing with those challenges that we were dealing with health-wise 100 years ago. The older we are when we become pregnant, the greater the risk of complications.”
Offering another take on complications, Dr. Jeffrey Ecker noted, “Vaginal delivery, when that’s possible, is associated with fewer complications and a quicker recovery… As one is pregnant again and a C-section is repeated, that’s when we see complications related to scarring left from C-sections.”
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Rounding out this discussion, Dr. Kisha Davis noted, “We want babies to have a healthy start and babies have the healthiest start when their mother is also healthy and can be there to take care of them.”
Featured image credit: Nurse Hailey Instagram