Clayton Anderson is speaking out soon after being met with unfathomable tragedy. Late last month, his wife — former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader Krystal “Krissy” Anderson — died of sepsis following the stillbirth of their daughter Charlotte Willow. In an incredibly emotional interview with ABC News, Clayton talked about the unimaginable loss and the flaws he sees in the maternal healthcare system.
Clayton and Krissy were thrilled last November when they found out they were pregnant. They considered it a sign from their son James, who was stillborn in 2022.
“It was like our little sign from him that, ‘Hey, Mom, Dad, I got you. Don’t worry about it,'” Clayton said.
Of course, the Andersons were especially cautious during this pregnancy. And Clayton wishes the maternal healthcare system had been too.
During Krissy’s 20th week of pregnancy, on March 16, the parents-to-be rushed to the hospital after Krissy started feeling back pain, which doctors said could be due to contractions or dehydration. By 9 p.m., doctors could no longer detect baby Charlotte’s heartbeat.
While grieving the loss of her daughter, Krissy started showing signs of sepsis. Doctors gave her an epidural in an attempt to give her a natural birth. “We asked, is there a way to get Charlotte out, a way that we can hold her? Because that means a lot to hold your baby, even if they’ve passed on,” Clayton said, getting choked up.
Despite the epidural, a vaginal birth was not possible; Krissy was ultimately rushed to surgery, and returned on a ventilator and dialysis with multiple organ failure. On March 20, Krissy passed away.
“She was my world … my best friend and obviously the love of my life and mother to our children,” Clayton said.
“One of the issues that I guess I have with the system overall is Krystal is 40, and she’s Black, and we’d had a loss before, but even then they say … you can’t start a plan with maternal-fetal medicine or the high-risk maternity doctors until you get to week 14,” he said.
Research shows the horrifying truth that Black and Hispanic mothers-to-be are more commonly associated with higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in sepsis compared to white moms. Plus, women who had a stillbirth are 14 times more likely than women who had live births to go into shock or sepsis.
“All pregnancy is high risk, especially, more so, when you’re a woman of color, or you’re older, and they should be treated that way from the start,” Clayton said. “… Expecting somebody who’s had a loss to go four weeks in between seeing their care providers … That’s the same protocol that’s done for a 23-year-old that’s very healthy.”
“It can’t be a one-size-fits-all,” he continued.
LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK. It can’t be one-size-fits-all when research shows us again and again (and again) that this approach is killing women of color.
“Our hearts are hurting in this tragic situation,” the hospital said in a statement that could not get into the specifics of Krissy’s case, given HIPAA laws. “We, along with the independent providers who deliver care in our facilities, strive to provide the best possible care to every patient based on their specific needs and circumstances. We extend our prayers and support to family members and loved ones experiencing the devastating loss of precious life.”
Clayton, Krissy’s friends, and those who cheered for the Kansas City Chiefs alongside her, all spoke of the joy and optimism she brought to the world.
“She would want everything to shine and sparkle, and she would want her laughter to be spread,” Clayton said. “… I don’t think she wanted to be the person to champion these causes. But if she was going to do it, she was going to do it with joy.”
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