Grace W., 18

Wakio Grace is the second-born in her family. Her eldest sibling left home in search of better opportunities, so Grace lives with her parents and younger siblings in a small one-room mud-walled house. She dropped out of school in Form One due to financial difficulties and is currently unemployed. Her mother does not work either, and the entire family depends on her father, who earns a living through occasional casual jobs when available. In her free time, Grace enjoys learning how to plait hair and dreams of one day opening her own salon. Grace recalls that one morning she began feeling unwell. After borrowing money from a friend, she visited a local chemist where a pregnancy test confirmed she was expectant. She informed her parents, who, despite already struggling financially, encouraged her to attend antenatal care (ANC) clinics and pray for strength and provision. Grace managed to attend five ANC visits up to seven months of pregnancy, walking for more than an hour each way to reach the health facility. As time progressed, she noticed swelling in her feet, which she initially attributed to the long distances she walked. She hoped it would subside, but instead, the swelling worsened and spread to her entire body. One day, she suddenly began convulsing, prompting her parents to rush her to a nearby dispensary. There, they were informed that she had dangerously high blood pressure and low blood sugar levels and required urgent transfer to Siaya County Referral Hospital for emergency surgery. Though fearful of the anticipated medical costs, her parents consented to the transfer out of concern for their daughter’s life.

Grace was brought to the hospital after convulsions, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia and eclampsia and wheeled to theatre for an emergency surgery. The surgery was a success and post surgery she was advised in early ambulation, her catheter was removed after 24 hrs and the dressing on her surgical site removed after 72 hrs. She was administered morphine, pcm, ceftriaxone among other e. She responded well to medication and was eventually discharged on orals. A visit to her home revealed that she was well recovered and had gone back tohe normal life.

Eclampsia is a life-threatening medical emergency and can be fatal for both the mother and the baby if not treated immediately. While most women survive with modern medical care, it remains a leading cause of maternal and fetal death worldwide. For Grace, an 18-year-old, the prognosis regarding fatality depends heavily on the speed of medical intervention and the quality of care available.