"Losing 'Nurse Hailey': A Devastating Amniotic Fluid Embolism during Childbirth"
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Social media personality succumbs to childbirth-related issues, fulfilling years-long dream of parenthood - Influencer Passes Away Due to Childbirth-Related Issues - Despite Yearning for Parenthood
In a heart-wrenching Instagram post, Matthew Okula, revealed the upsetting news of the sudden demise of his beloved wife, Hailey Marie Okula, due to complications during childbirth. The couple's newborn son, Crew, miraculously survived.
Famously known as "Nurse Hailey" with an impressive 400,000+ followers, Hailey gained prominence by sharing candid glimpses of her life as an emergency room nurse in a Los Angeles hospital and offering support to newly graduated nurses through her personal program.
Hailey Okula's Long Battle with Infertility
Hailey and Matthew endured a two-year struggle to conceive. Hailey openly discussed their infertility on Instagram, revealing they both suffered from the same genetic disease. After a series of lengthy fertility treatments, they finally announced their pregnancy in September 2024. On March 31, 2025, Hailey gave birth to baby Crew, but her victory turned into a tragedy moments later.
Following a successful C-section, Hailey suffered a heart attack due to a rare complication called Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE). Matthew shared this harrowing news with Fox 11 Los Angeles.
AFE - A Potentially Lethal Childbirth Complication
An AFE occurs when amniotic fluid enters the mother's bloodstream during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly after delivery. It triggers a severe allergic or anaphylactic reaction, leading to acute cardiorespiratory collapse [1][2][3]. AFE affects approximately 1 in every 40,000 deliveries in the United States, with survival rates varying from 20% to 60% depending on the severity and treatment received.
Matthew, a firefighter in Los Angeles, battled wildfires at the beginning of the year. Friends have since initiated a fundraiser to assist the family with living expenses and funeral costs.
In a poignant Instagram post, Matthew described Hailey as, "the best mom. Her spirit, her courage, and her love will live on in our son and in everyone whose life she touched."
Sources:
- Instagram "Nurse Hailey"
- Fox 11 Los Angeles
- German Medical Association
- Amniotic Fluid Embolism: Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Treatment
Keywords: Amniotic Fluid Embolism, Childbirth, Instagram, Los Angeles
- "I'm not sure I'm ready for this," Matthew Okula posted on Instagram, mourning the loss of his wife, Hailey Marie Okula, who tragically passed away due to a complicating Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) during childbirth on March 31, 2025.
- Hailey Okula's long battle with infertility was openly discussed on her Instagram platform, where she shared her and her husband's struggle to conceive, attributing it to a shared genetic disease.
- As the rate of AFE remains approximately 1 in every 40,000 deliveries in the United States, it is imperative for healthcare providers to be aware of this potentially lethal childbirth complication to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
