"Serena Williams had near-death complications during her pregnancy" - American athlete Allyson Felix following Tori Bowie's tragic death

American athlete Allyson Felix cited Serena Williams' childbirth experience as she mourned the death of her compatriot Tori Bowie due to complications arising from pregnancy.

Bowie was found dead in her home in Orange County, Florida, on May 2 following complications related to childbirth. An autopsy report found that she was roughly eight months pregnant and was “undergoing labor” when she died, according to a report by USA Today.

The report further stated that Bowie may have suffered complications including respiratory distress or eclampsia. Eclampsia is a condition that arises during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth and is mainly characterized by the occurrence of seizures, which can be life-threatening for both the mother and the baby.

In a moving article, Felix, a seven-time Olympic gold medallist, urged for more awareness in the community about the issues Black women face during their pregnancy. She cited Serena Williams and Beyonce as examples, two Black celebrities who also experienced difficulties during childbirth.

"Awareness is huge. Serena Williams had near-death complications during her pregnancy. Beyoncé developed preeclampsia. I hate that it takes Tori’s situation to put this back on the map and to get people to pay attention to it. But oftentimes, we need that wake-up call," she said. (via TIME)

The 37-year-old stated that it was the duty of doctors and other medical professionals to engage with the issue.

"The medical community must do its part. There are so many stories of women dying who haven’t been heard. Doctors really need to hear the pain of Black women," she added.

Felix also spoke about her own experience with preeclampsia when she gave birth to her daughter Camryn in 2018.

"I developed preeclampsia during my pregnancy with my daughter Camryn, who was born in November 2018. The doctors sent me to the hospital, where I would deliver Camryn during an emergency C-section, at 32 weeks. I was unsure if I was going to make it. If I was ever going to hold my precious daughter," she disclosed.

She lamented that country was facing a "Black maternal health crisis" even in 2023.

"We’re dealing with a Black Maternal Health crisis. This is America, in 2023, and Black women are dying while giving birth. It’s absurd," Felix said.

The track and field star concluded by hoping that Tori Bowie's death would be a wake-up call for everyone.

"I’m hopeful that things can get better. I’m hopeful that Tori, who stood on the podium at Rio, gold around her neck and sweetness in her soul, won’t die in vain," she said.

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"We're failing Black women the worst" - Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian laments rising maternal mortality rate in the US

Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian and their daughter Olympia. [File photo]

Serena Williams had opened up about her traumatic near-death childbirth experience in 2018.

Williams gave birth to her daughter, Olympia, via emergency C-section on September 1, 2017, after her heart rate dropped to concerning levels during contractions. The decline in her health began with a pulmonary embolism which was followed by a "slew of health complications."

In an article for CNN, she revealed that she experienced life-threatening complications during childbirth.

"I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia. Yet I consider myself fortunate. This sparked a slew of health complications that I am lucky to have survived," she said.

Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, later expressed concern over the alarming increase in maternal mortality rates among Black women due to negligence.

In a social media post, he urged the American public to take action and work towards reducing this issue.

"America, this is a crisis. And we're failing Black women the worst (the disparity between race & ethnicity also exists when you normalize for education, wealth, etc because it's systemic)," Ohanian said.