During her eighth month of pregnancy in February, actress Gal Gadot, 39, was diagnosed with a blood clot in her brain and was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, where she underwent an emergency procedure.
“My daughter, Ori, was born during that moment of uncertainty and fear,” Gadot posted on Instagram on Dec. 29.
Gadot disclosed that prior to her treatment, she endured excruciating headaches that left her bedridden. “I finally underwent an MRI that revealed the terrifying truth,” she wrote. “In one moment, my family and I were faced with how fragile life can be. It was a stark reminder of how quickly everything can change, and in the midst of a difficult year, all I wanted was to hold on and live.”
Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), also known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), is a rare type of stroke in which a clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses and prevents blood from draining out.
Pressure subsequently builds up in the blood vessels, which leads to swelling and bleeding, according to Dr. Jared Ross, assistant professor at the University of Missouri.
Severe cases of CVT may require vascular intervention, in which a wire is threaded into the brain from the arm or leg to allow the blood clot to be broken up or removed, he told The Epoch Times.
Gadot, in her Instagram post, thanked the team of doctors who treated her at Cedars-Sinai and included a photo of herself breastfeeding her newborn.
“I hope that by sharing, I can raise awareness and support others who may face something similar,” Gadot said. “Sharing this is not meant to frighten anyone but to empower. If even one person feels compelled to take action for their health because of this story, it will have been worth sharing.”
Gadot is known for playing Diana Prince in “Wonder Woman” and Gisele Yashar in “The Fast and the Furious,” as well as roles in “Red Notice,” “Death on the Nile,” “Date Night,” and “Kicking Out Shoshana.”
Ori is Gadot’s fourth child with Israeli film producer Jaron Varsano, 49. Together, they have three other daughters named Alma, 13, Maya, 7, and Daniella, 3.
“Her name, meaning ‘my light,’ wasn’t chosen by chance,” Gadot said about Ori. “Before the surgery, I told Jaron that when our daughter arrived, she would be the light waiting for me at the end of this tunnel.”
A National Library of Medicine study found that CVT onset is acute in 41.4 percent of women compared to only 38.7 percent of men. Some 80 percent of cases impact individuals under 50 years old.
“Women in their 20s to 30s are at higher risk for CVST,” Ross said. “Hormonal changes during pregnancy further increase this risk, especially during the third trimester and the first four weeks postpartum. CVST does not usually impact the fetus.”
Pregnant patients are typically treated with injections of blood thinners or intravenous or oral blood thinners, which prevent the blood clot from growing and allow the body to break it down.
“I had no idea that 3 in 100,000 pregnant women in the 30 [and over] age group are diagnosed with CVT,” Gadot said. “It’s so important to identify early because it’s treatable. While rare, it’s a possibility, and knowing it exists is the first step to addressing it.”
Gadot did not respond to requests for comment.
“After CVST, women are at increased risk for chronic headaches, seizures, and even cognitive deficits,” Ross said. “Also, women who have a CVST are at increased risk for future blood clots, including CVSTs, as well as blood clots in the legs or the lungs.”
From The Epoch Times