Skip to main content

Mom-to-be had 2 signs of rare complication: ‘Everything kept getting worse’

▶ Watch Video: Rising preeclampsia rates pose increased heart health risk for pregnant women Candice Davis had been pleasantly surprised by the ease of her first pregnancy. Her checkups were always clear, and she had few symptoms — until June 14, 2025, 11 days before her due date.The day started normally, but as the hours passed, Davis began to feel nauseous while sitting by her pool. Eventually, it shifted to upper abdominal pain. Her husband was insistent that she go to the hospital. Davis resisted at first. She worked as a recruiter for an OB-GYN, and felt she would know if something was seriously wrong. But when her friend and OB-GYN Dr. Susan Passarella also urged her to go to the ER, she gave in.At the obstetric emergency department at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, tests showed Davis' blood pressure was elevated. Her doctors decided to keep her overnight. Then things escalated quickly.Davis' pain increased sharply. Her blood pressure kept rising. Her liver enzymes skyrocketed. Within two hours of her arrival, her care team wanted to induce labor. Davis had hoped to have a natural birth. But "everything kept getting worse," she said, and the decision was made to deliver her baby via cesarean section.Candice Davis and her husband during a maternity shoot. Anna Carolyn Photography
Read Next Story