For Arianna Huergo, an extraordinarily painful labor with her second child in March 2022 brought a beautiful reward: her daughter, Ava, who topped 8 pounds.

But the uneventful nature of the North Bergen resident’s pregnancy and birth was about to shift abruptly. Quickly exhausted by caring for a newborn and toddler, Arianna suffered a headache that prompted her to visit her dentist, thinking a wisdom tooth was emerging. A toothache wasn’t her problem; it was a symptom of a much bigger health emergency. A few days later—just a week after giving birth—the 36-year-old woke up with a severe headache and, a few hours later, an entirely numb right arm.

“My husband Dennis realized I wasn’t talking clearly, that I was speaking nonsense,” recalls Arianna, now 38. “He called an ambulance right away.”

A former first responder himself, Dennis recognized that his wife was having a stroke. Dennis’ quick-thinking realization allowed time for rapid and effective care at two Hackensack Meridian Health facilities to restore Arianna’s speech and movement. 

Stroke occurs in at least 30 out of every 100,000 pregnancies, which is three times higher than the stroke rate for adults the same age who are not pregnant. The risk of having a stroke is highest during the six to 12 weeks following childbirth. Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy can increase that stroke risk even more. A higher clotting risk is one cause of postpartum stroke. The other is an artery dissection or tear in the artery. “It's a mechanical, physical injury to the arterial wall that probably occurs during labor and delivery,” explains Reza J. Karimi, M.D., a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center. “Blood pressure spikes can cause dissections. But it can also be caused by a sports injury, trauma, even turning your head the wrong way or straining, whether that be at the gym or during labor. It is the most common cause of stroke in young people.”

Along with Arianna’s symptoms of severe headache, arm numbness and unclear speech, other stroke symptoms can include balance problems, vision changes, seizures, difficulty seeing or speaking, facial numbness or drooping and arm weakness. New moms who experience these symptoms should not ignore any of these symptoms and immediately seek medical attention.

Innovative Treatment for Stroke

At Palisades Medical Center, clinicians confirmed Dennis’ suspicions and determined that Arianna required intensive treatment. She was flown to Hackensack, which is a designated Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services—the highest level of certification for hospitals equipped to treat the most complex stroke cases.

There, neurologists and other specialists sprang into action, performing two procedures. The first, called a mechanical thrombectomy, involved snaking a catheter through an artery into her brain and snagging a sizable blood clot that was blocking proper blood flow. In the second procedure, doctors inserted several cage-like stents in her neck to reform Arianna’s carotid artery, whose layers had torn. The stent propped open the injured artery that was now far more prone to creating another devastating blood clot. 

“When Arianna arrived, we saw we could save a lot of her brain if we could reestablish blood flow,” says Dr. Karimi. “The only way we could access the brain was through the artery that was completely dissected. We had to get a very fine wire into the artery and gently curve it through the blockage to remove the clot, but that was only step one. We then had to reconstruct her artery using several overlapping stents.”

Hackensack’s extensive access to innovative diagnostic and treatment techniques for stroke made it the best place Arianna could be, says Kaitlin Reilly-Kit, M.D., director of neurocritical care at Hackensack. Pregnant and new mothers are particularly predisposed to developing blood clots, she notes, placing them at higher risks of stroke and other serious issues.

“Before the use of mechanical thrombectomy, Arianna would have been left permanently and severely disabled by her stroke,” Dr. Reilly-Kit explains. “She might have lost speech and probably would have been unable to use her right arm for the rest of her life. With a stroke, every single minute counts. We had the opportunity to save her brain tissue before it died permanently.”

A Fresh Perspective

Arianna’s recovery proceeded remarkably quickly, and she went home after only three days in the hospital. Occupational therapy was needed to tackle lingering issues, including weakness in her right arm and speech difficulties that the high school language teacher—who also speaks Spanish and Mandarin—found especially frustrating. 

“Sometimes I forget simple words,” she says. “I tried to push myself, but doctors said my brain will take about two years to recover.”

Now, Arianna revels in the beauty of everyday life as she continues to raise her daughters—now 2 and 3½—and undergoes regular checkups. “My stroke changed my perspective,” she says. “Going to the park, playing with my girls—I focus on quality time more than anything else.” Arianna has also learned she needs to focus on her own health and not write off symptoms she is experiencing. “As a mom, you want to put your baby first, but if you don’t take care of yourself, who is going to take care of your babies?” Arianna said.

She also believes her care at Hackensack made all the difference to her ability to enjoy this stage of her family life.

“I don’t think I would have had the quality of care and attention anywhere else,” Arianna says. “I love how everyone worked together.”

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our sources: Reza Karimi, M.D., cerebrovascular neurosurgeon at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center and assistant professor of Neurosurgery at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine; and Kaitlin Reilly-Kit, M.D., director of neurocritical care at Hackensack and assistant professor of Neurology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
• To make an appointment with a neurologist near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
• Learn more about stroke care at Hackensack Meridian Health.

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.