Gal Gadot reveals she was diagnosed with blood clot in her brain while pregnant
Gadot Gal (ian West/pa)
Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has revealed her daughter had to be delivered during emergency surgery earlier this year after a “massive blood clot” was discovered in her brain.
The actress, 39, said she was diagnosed with the clot during her eighth month of pregnancy after enduring “excruciating headaches” that confined her to bed.
Gadot, who announced the birth of her fourth baby girl in March, said she wanted to open up about the experience in an Instagram post on Sunday to “raise awareness and support others who may face something similar”.
“In February, during my eighth month of pregnancy, I was diagnosed with a massive blood clot in my brain,” she wrote alongside a photo of her cradling her daughter while in a hospital bed.
“For weeks, I had endured excruciating headaches that confined me to bed, until I finally underwent an MRI that revealed the terrifying truth.
“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.”
The Hollywood star said she was “rushed” to hospital and within hours she underwent emergency surgery.
“My daughter, Ori, was born during that moment of uncertainty and fear. Her name, meaning ‘my light’, wasn’t chosen by chance,” she said.
Gadot, who has three more daughters with husband Jaron Varsano, revealed she told him before the surgery that their new daughter would be the “light waiting for me at the end of this tunnel”.
The actress said she is “fully healed” and “filled with gratitude” for her life thanks to the help of the medical team who supported her.
She said the experience had taught her a lot including the importance of listening to our bodies and raising awareness.
Gadot said she had not been aware of the chances of developing cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) for pregnant women in their 30s, which she said was three in 100,000 per year.
“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,” she added.
The actress said the past year had been one of “profound challenges and deep reflections” and she had been unsure if she should share her story but decided to in the hope of helping others.
“Sharing this is not meant to frighten anyone but to empower,” she added.
“If even one person feels compelled to take action for their health because of this story, it will have been worth sharing.”
In March, Gadot announced she had welcomed another baby girl with a similar photo of her hugging the baby in a hospital bed.
At the time she said the pregnancy was “not easy and they made it through” but did not share any more details.
Gadot married property developer Varsano, 49, in 2008.