Lauren's story: 'It was the scariest time of my life'

Preeclampsia stole the happiness of my newborn bubble. And I grieve that deeply.”

Eight months later, Lauren finally learned just how close to death she had come.

“They said I wasn’t breathing, and they couldn’t get the tube down my throat because it was so swollen. Arlo had stopped breathing too. It was life or death = or both of us.”

Now, three years on, Lauren is still processing the trauma of her birth experience. But she also holds onto the fact that both she and Arlo survived.

“I survived. My baby survived. We made it through something that could have taken everything.”

Preeclampsia is not rare. It is a serious pregnancy complication that can develop suddenly, sometimes with little warning. It affects multiple organs, can cause premature birth, and puts mothers at higher risk of long-term heart disease and stroke.

“I didn’t know what preeclampsia really was until it hit my body hard,” Lauren says. “One moment I was preparing to meet my baby, and the next everything spiralled. If sharing my experience helps even one mother recognise a symptom, or one partner push for answers, then it’s worth the pain of remembering.”

Hope through research

Lauren recently met Distinguished Professor Anne-Marie Hennessy, a world-leading preeclampsia researcher at the Heart Research Institute (HRI). Professor Hennessy and her team are working to develop new drug treatments and early detection tests to help prevent preeclampsia, reduce premature delivery, and improve long-term health outcomes for women.

“It was such an honour to meet Professor Hennessy,” Lauren says. “She genuinely cares and I have learnt so much from her. I want to do as much as I can to spread awareness, because research like this gives mums and babies a chance at safer, healthier pregnancies.”

If you or someone you love has experienced preeclampsia, know that you are not alone.