Pregnant Kenya Moore knew something was wrong when she gained 17 pounds in one week. “This is NOT normal,” the Real Housewives of Atlanta alum captioned an October 27 Instagram picture of her swollen feet. Four days later, Moore, 47, revealed that a urine test confirmed she is suffering from a condition called preeclampsia.
“I will have to deliver #babydaly early,” the Bravo personality, who is due around Thanksgiving, wrote on Wednesday, October 31. “But I’m being closely monitored to determine when.”
Preeclampsia is diagnosed by persistent high blood pressure that develops usually after the 20th week of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The rate of preeclampsia for African American women is 61 percent higher than it is for Caucasian women, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported in April 2017. When untreated, the disorder can be fatal to the mother and fetus, and the only cure is to deliver the baby before the due date.
“In mild cases, the recommendation is to deliver at 37 weeks,” Dr. Daniel Roshnan, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in New York City, tells Us Weekly. “When it’s more severe, delivery should be done at 34 weeks or earlier based on the condition of the patient.”
Dr. Roshnan notes that family history is a risk factor. “If your mother had preeclampsia, your risk is 17 percent higher,” he says.
Moore joins a long list of celebrity moms who suffered from preeclampsia, which can cause a headache that will not go away, changes in vision and difficulty breathing. Beyoncé revealed in September that she battled the condition and spent a month on bed rest before undergoing an emergency C-section to deliver twins Rumi and Sir in June 2017. When Kim Kardashian was pregnant with North, now 5, she was induced five weeks early due to preeclampsia.
In April, Moore announced that she and husband Marc Daly are expecting their first child together. The baby will not be featured on RHOA, as Moore revealed earlier this month that she is departing the series after six seasons. However, Moore was spotted filming with Cynthia Bailey on October 25.
Moore joined the cast in 2012.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta returns to Bravo on Sunday, November 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
