She Waited Years to Become a Mom. Days Later, She Was Fighting for Her Life

After five years of trying to become a mom, seven rounds of IVF and a healthy pregnancy, Justeen Moss thought the hardest part was behind her.

In December 2025, Justeen welcomed her daughter, Kaylee, after 28 hours of labor. Aside from being considered higher risk because of her age and IVF pregnancy, everything had gone smoothly. Throughout her pregnancy, she carefully monitored her health and followed her doctors' recommendations, including taking baby aspirin and regularly checking her blood pressure.

A few days after returning home with her newborn, however, something didn't feel right.

"I wasn't feeling great after being discharged," Justeen said. "I kept checking my blood pressure, and it was high. I wrote it off as being a tired new mom."

Monitoring her heart health was already second nature. Justeen has a strong family history of cardiovascular disease. Her father suffered a heart attack at age 49, and her grandfather died of a heart attack in his 50s. So when her blood pressure readings at home climbed as high as 180/90, she knew something was wrong, even though her blood pressure had remained normal throughout pregnancy.

When she mentioned the elevated readings to her daughter's pediatrician and contacted her OB/GYN, she was instructed to go to the hospital immediately.

What doctors at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital discovered was life threatening.

Justeen's blood pressure had soared to nearly 200/100. She was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, a rare and severe pregnancy-related condition associated with preeclampsia that can develop after delivery. The condition was affecting multiple organs, including her liver, and causing fluid to build up around her heart and lungs.

"The symptom that finally convinced me something was wrong was that I was having trouble breathing," she said. "Even in the hospital, I was still in denial. I kept telling my husband they were just being cautious."

Instead, Justeen spent three days in the hospital receiving intensive treatment and close cardiovascular monitoring to stabilize her blood pressure, prevent seizures and allow her body to recover. She was referred to cardiologist Dr. Gaile Sabaliauskas, who specializes in women’s heart health and heads the hospital’s cardio-OB program, for ongoing care.

"Pregnancy can bring attention to underlying cardiovascular risk factors that may not have been apparent before," said Dr. Sabaliauskas. "Justeen's story highlights the importance of caring for a woman's heart health before, during and after pregnancy. Through ongoing monitoring and support, we can identify potential risks earlier, help prevent future complications and empower women to take charge of their long-term health so they can thrive alongside their growing families."

Today, Justeen is healthy and thriving. Her experience also changed how she thinks about her long-term heart health. She continues to follow up with Dr. Sabaliauskas, stays active playing softball and remains committed to monitoring her cardiovascular risk factors while enjoying life with Kaylee, now a healthy, energetic seven-month-old who is already crawling and trying to walk.

Looking back, Justeen hopes her story encourages other women to take postpartum symptoms seriously and understand that heart-related complications can happen even after a healthy pregnancy.

"Know your body and trust your instincts,” she said. “If something feels off, get checked. I'm so grateful I did because I'm still here to watch my daughter grow up."