LOS ANGELES (WJW) – Hailey Okula, an influencer known as Nurse Hailey to her 440,000 followers on Instagram, has died due to complications from childbirth, her husband, Los Angeles firefighter Matt Okula, announced on social media on Tuesday.
“Words cannot convey the depth of the loss I feel. Hailey was more than I could have ever dreamed of in a wife and partner,” her husband wrote. “For nearly 13 years, she stood by my side in the hardest of times, loving me endlessly, even when I felt undeserving of that love. She was my everything.”
In an interview with L.A.’s KTTV, Matt Okula said his wife, Hailey, went into cardiac arrest moments after their son Crew was born.
Matt Okula also identified the cause of his wife’s cardiac arrest as an amniotic fluid embolism.
What is an amniotic fluid embolism?
An amniotic fluid embolism is “a rare and life-threatening complication that occurs when a pregnant woman gets amniotic fluid into their bloodstream just before, during or immediately after childbirth,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This fluid, upon entering the bloodstream, can cause an allergic reaction, which can then lead to cardiac arrest or severe bleeding, the Cleveland Clinic explains. It is currently unknown why some people have this type of allergic reaction, note both the Cleveland Clinic and the Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation (AFEF).
The rate of occurrences of amniotic fluid embolisms is difficult to pinpoint, but researchers with the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the State University of New York estimate that amniotic fluid embolisms occur during 1 out of every 8,000 or 80,000 births globally.
The researchers also said that amniotic fluid embolisms are “the second leading cause of peripartum maternal death and the primary cause of peripartum cardiac arrest” in the United States, per a report published with the National Institutes of Health.
Survivability rates are also difficult to estimate, but the AFEF puts it between 20% and 60%, citing published medical data.
“Although survivability has increased over the last 20 years with advances in critical care and obstetric medicine, it cannot be emphasized enough that an amniotic fluid embolism is extremely difficult to treat and considered one of the most fatal birth complications in the world,” the AFEF says.
‘So much courage and love’
The Okulas had wanted to be parents for years, Matt said in his Tuesday Instagram post.
“After years of infertility struggles and a long, challenging IVF process, we were overjoyed to be expecting Crew,” he wrote. “Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love — even though her body went through so much, she never wavered.”
Hailey Okula was known for using her videos to educate newly graduated nurses about the field. She also established RN New Grads, a resource for new nurses, in 2019, according to the business website.
“She was so proud of it and was dedicated to creating something meaningful, not just for herself, but for the nursing community she loved so much.”
Matt said her spirit, courage and love will live on through their son.
“Crew is going to grow up hearing about the incredible woman his mom was — how strong, brilliant and fearless she was in everything she did, He’ll know that she was a true force, changing lives and leaving a legacy that will never be forgotten,” Matt said.
