Clayton Anderson is sharing his heartbreaking experience regarding his wife, who tragically passed away after their second stillbirth. Content warning: This article discusses pregnancy loss and maternal mortality.
Clayton vividly recalls the moment he and his wife, Krystal, a former cheerleader for the Kansas City Chiefs, discovered they were expecting again. This news was particularly poignant since they had endured a stillbirth just one year prior, in 2022. “We started trying again at the end of September 2023,” he explains. Their son, James, had been stillborn on November 27, 2022, and on November 26, 2023, Krystal received a positive result on her pregnancy test. “We both felt it deep down that this was a sign from James,” Clayton reflects.
Initially, their doctors reported that both Krystal and the baby appeared healthy. The couple was overjoyed to be expecting again but soon became uneasy. “We wanted to see our OB/GYN right away, but they told us the earliest appointment was the first week of January, when Krystal would be 10 weeks along,” Clayton shares. Given Krystal’s history of sepsis and stillbirth, they felt this timeline was too risky. They reached out to their maternal-fetal medicine specialist for a consult but were told the earliest they could be seen was at 14 weeks.
Seeking Immediate Care
For those navigating similar journeys, it’s crucial to prioritize your health and seek immediate care. Consider exploring at-home insemination options, which can be found at Make a Mom. Understanding the stages of infant development is also vital; to learn when babies start recognizing familiar faces and objects, check out Intracervical Insemination. Furthermore, for those interested in in vitro fertilization, Healthline provides excellent resources about pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, Clayton’s experience highlights the pervasive challenges faced by families affected by the Black maternal health crisis, emphasizing the need for timely and attentive medical care during pregnancy.