Meghan Markle’s scary ‘life or death’ labour complication with pre-eclampsia after pregnancy

Meghan Markle has opened up about a deeply personal and rarely discussed health struggle, revealing for the first time that she suffered from postpartum pre-eclampsia after pregnancy.

It’s a potentially life-threatening condition that affects some women after childbirth.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, made the admission in the debut episode of her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.

The episode launched today (April 8) with a candid conversation between Meghan and Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd.

Meghan Markle reveals struggle with postpartum pre-eclampsia after pregnancy

In a heartfelt moment, Meghan reflected on the pressure of new motherhood while silently battling a serious medical condition.

“We both had very similar experiences, though we didn’t know each other at the time, with postpartum, and we both had pre-eclampsia. Postpartum preeclampsia,” Meghan shared.

“It’s so rare and so scary. And you’re still trying to juggle all of these things, and the world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly. In the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people, mostly for your children, but those things are huge medical scares.”

Whitney, who also experienced the condition, added: “I mean, life or death, truly.”

Postpartum pre-eclampsia is a rare but dangerous condition where high blood pressure and elevated protein levels in urine develop after childbirth, often without warning.

According to the NHS, it can cause severe headaches, vision problems, swelling, and even seizures if not treated quickly.

Meghan did not specify whether she developed the condition after the birth of Prince Archie, born in 2019, or Princess Lilibet, born in 2021.

How many babies does Meghan Markle have?

Meghan is a mother to two children. She welcomed Prince Archie on May 6 in 2019 with her husband Prince Harry.

The couple then welcomed a daughter, Princess Lilibet, on June 4 in 2021.

Is Meghan Markle on Archie’s birth certificate?

Yes, Meghan Markle is on son Archie’s birth certificate. However, reports claimed in 2021 that she had made a change to her name on the official document.

“Rachel Meghan” – Meghan’s full name – was taken out to leave just “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex”.

We both had very similar experiences with postpartum, and we both had pre-eclampsia.

On the certificate, Archie’s full name is listed as “Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor”. He was made a prince when his grandfather King Charles became monarch in 2022.

Meanwhile, Harry’s name on the certificate reads as “His Royal Highness Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex”.

Confessions of a Female Founder podcast

Elsewhere in the first episode of her podcast, Meghan spoke candidly about balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship.

She also revealed some sweet insights into her home life with Archie and Lili.

“If [Lilibet] wakes up and wants to find me, she knows where to find me, even if my door is closed to the office,” Meghan said.

“She’ll be sitting there on my lap during one of these meetings… I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t want to miss those moments,” she gushed. “I don’t want to miss pickup if I don’t have to. I don’t want to miss drop-off.”

She added that raising her kids and growing her businesses are both “just as important”.

To accompany the podcast launch, Meghan also posted rare childhood photos on Instagram. The images showed her as a young girl selling cookies – a nod to her entrepreneurial spirit.

She quipped in the caption: “Being an entrepreneur can start young. (By the way, all these years later and I’m still selling cookies!)”