Clayton Johnson is sharing his heart-wrenching story about his wife, who tragically passed away after their second stillbirth. Content warning: This narrative includes themes of pregnancy loss and maternal mortality.
Clayton vividly remembers the moment he and his wife, Emily, discovered they were expecting for the second time. It was particularly emotional since they had endured a stillbirth just a year earlier. “We began trying again at the end of September 2023,” he recalls. Their son, Alex, was stillborn on November 27, 2022, and a year later, on November 26, they received a positive pregnancy test. “We both felt it was a sign from Alex,” Clayton shares.
Initially, their healthcare providers assured them that both Emily and the baby were healthy. The couple was overjoyed but soon became anxious. “We tried to schedule an appointment with our OB/GYN as soon as possible, but they told us the earliest they could see us was the first week of January when Emily would be 10 weeks along,” Clayton explains. Given Emily’s previous experience with sepsis and stillbirth, they felt this timeline was concerning. They reached out to their maternal-fetal medicine specialist, but the response was similarly delayed.
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In conclusion, Clayton’s story sheds light on the urgent need to address the disparities in maternal health, particularly in the Black community. His experience serves as a reminder of the importance of timely medical care and the emotional toll of pregnancy loss.