This was my second pregnancy. I was active the entire time, thanks to my 3 year old son keeping me busy, and I worked as a Kindergarden teacher throughout my pregnancy till the very end before officially entering my maternity leave at the beginning of week 34. I did gain more weight compared to my first pregnancy, but I have heard from many relatives that they all got more weight in their second pregnancies so I thought it was normal.

While visiting a specialist as a part of the routine check ups in the middle of the pregnancy, he noticed that one side of my placenta produced more blood than normal and he said it could cause high blood pressure and told me to measure my blood pressure as a precaution. As someone who had low blood pressure my whole life, I didn't worry much, but listened to the doctor and measured it all summer. It never was higher than 100 over 80 or so.
On the evening of 34 weeks and 5 days, I got a very bad headache and didn't feel so good. I thought the overall feeling was a side effect of getting a flu shot so I didn't think much of it and took a paracetamol, it usually helped with the pain. But when I laid to bed to sleep it was as if my whole body caught fire and everything hurt. The pain didn't go away and I also got contractions.
I told my husband we should go to the hospital, just to make sure the baby is okay and to ask if they can give me something for the headache. We came at 2am, CTG and the ultrasound showed everything was fine. But as I told the doctor that I have a strong headache he asked me about my blood pressure. I said I was keeping it in check but it was never high. He measured my blood pressure and it was 178 over a 100. I was shocked. He right away took my blood and asked for a urine sample. It all came back showing I have HELLP syndrome and that I need an emergency C section to treat it. I was fortunate enough that my blood work was just borderline to allow me to be awake during the surgery. My baby was born around 8.30 am at 34+6 with only 1.7 kg. Later we learned that it was probably caused by the symptom. The moment I gave birth, I noticed the headache going away but it was far from over. I had my blood taken every day to make sure my values got back in order and we also measured my blood pressure 3 times a day to keep it in check. But what had me worried was that I had very swollen feet and they didn't get better with time. On days 2 and 4 postpartum my blood pressure was 174 over 108. I had to go to my house doctor to get a prescription for medicine against high blood pressure. I ended up dealing with it for a whole month after giving birth before it got back to normal.

My daughter and I were on our separate stations for 3 days before I was discharged from my own to go to her. We spent in total 12 days in the hospital until she gained enough weight and was ready to go home.

As my husband told my gynecologist what happened she couldn't believe it. I had absolutely no risk factors of getting HELLP, I wasn't smoking or drinking, I wasn't overweight nor did I have a history of high blood pressure.

A doctor who helped during my surgery said we were lucky we came when we came. Had we waited only 2 more days, both me and my baby could have died.

I will always be thankful to the doctor who listened to me and measured my blood pressure despite everything being okay in the check up. Apparently not many would have thought of checking the blood pressure like he did. He saved me and my baby with it.