From crisis to celebration of a healthy baby
After Molly Tripp returned home from ECU Health with her thriving and healthy baby, she was an advocate as much as anyone for the East Carolina University active moms studies that have proven exercise during pregnancy is beneficial to mothers and babies.
Tripp, an ECU faculty member in the College of Health and Human Performance, was a study participant earlier this year. She had plenty of enjoyable and stress-free exercises leading up to one session that ended before it began. Multiple pre-exercise readings on her showed a spike to high blood pressure.
Tripp went to the emergency department, thinking she might go home later that day, but instead, she remained there under top-notch and collaborative care for a week until Owen was born via a successful caesarean section on Feb. 11. The due date was May 13.
“It was a sequence of events that was really frightening, but meant to happen the way they were, so we could get to a place where we were both safe,” Tripp said during a recent interview, while holding Owen, at the ECU Fitness, Instruction, Testing and Training Facility where supervised workouts are coordinated by Lindsey Rossa and conducted daily by pregnant women. “He was able to grow inside a little bit longer and they could stabilize my blood pressure as much as possible. It’s not something I wish on anybody, but I would be part of this group 10 times over. That is because of how much I feel it saved our lives.”
Tripp had preeclampsia with severe features.
After the sudden delivery and Owen spending months in the neonatal intensive care unit, Tripp credits the exercise study for playing a major role in Owen’s full health.
Molly Tripp feeds Owen at ECU Health. (contributed photo)
“He was a really good size for his gestational age, so I think a lot of that can be attributed to lifestyle factors, including physical activity,” Tripp said.
Dr. Linda May, who oversees ECU active moms research, is ranked No. 7 in the world and fourth in the country by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health among authors who research physical activity during pregnancy.
About 700 women have enrolled in the ECU research program since 2013. Monitoring of moms and babies continues for years after baby is born.
“Exercise is protective, so it actually helps prevent and helps outcomes improve, rather than cause any damage,” May said.
Tripp is a supporter of the research and the attention to detail that is shown.
“I would recommend this study to any expecting mother in the area, if they are eligible,” said Tripp, who teaches public health courses in the Department of Health Education and Promotion. “My situation was handled with a lot of grace. Everybody remained so calm. … Along with everybody at ECU Health, it seemed to fall in place seamlessly. Although it was not something we expected or would want to happen at that point in pregnancy, we are very thankful for everyone who was involved in helping us get to where we are.”
Tripp added that she plans to use different parts of her story to benefit students.
“I now have this experience as an example, for my class here at ECU,” she said. “For someone who teaches health policy, everything with the healthcare system and health insurance will be helpful in explaining some of the material the students learn in class. Students learn best by example, and there are other angles I can promote from my personal journey, including physical activity and healthy pregnancies. And of course, we love having our HEP students intern over here at the FITT building.”
For Rossa, May, Dr. Nick Broskey and others who lead pregnancy research at ECU, the plan is to continue to produce positive outcomes.
“I want to make sure all babies are born healthy and on time, and they are given a better start,” May said. “So regardless of what kind of scenario might happen, if they have hypertension or diabetes or they don’t have any of those things, I just want all babies to be born healthy and on time. To see that (Molly) did have something come up, but she and her baby are still fine, that is the goal.”