Pregnancy and childbirth bring on a range of emotions -- from excitement, to exhaustion, to the stress of physical pain.
Few, however, expect these experiences to result in human tragedy -- especially not in the death of a new or soon-to-be mother.
This hour: the realities of maternal health and mortality. We check in with a team of doctors and reporters, and we also hear from you.
Have you lost a loved one due to complications pre- or postpartum? We take your calls, tweets, and emails.
Plus: therapy for your... pelvic floor? We find out how this little-known specialty is helping women -- and men -- improve quality of life.
GUESTS:
- Nina Martin - Covers gender and sexuality for ProPublica; her latest collaboration with NPR, “Lost Mothers," investigates why the U.S. has the worst rate of maternal deaths in the developed world
- Dr. Katherine Campbell - Assistant Professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut
- Emily McLaughlin - Postpartum hemorrhagic stroke survivor
- Dr. Jennifer Passoni, DPT - Specializes in pelvic floor therapy at Griffin Hospital's Center for Pelvic Health in Derby, Connecticut
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 17, 2017.