Meghan had 'rare and scary' condition after giving birth

The Duchess of Sussex shared her experience with a "rare and scary" medical condition after childbirth.

In the first episode of her podcast, *Confessions of a Female Founder*, Meghan revealed she was diagnosed with post-partum pre-eclampsia.

She called it a "huge medical scare." Meghan managed this without the public knowing what she faced.

Meghan has two children with the Duke of Sussex. She did not specify if the complication occurred after Archie, five, or Lilibet, three.

According to the NHS, pre-eclampsia can affect women during pregnancy or shortly after delivery. Early signs include high blood pressure.

"It's so rare. And it's so scary," Meghan said about the condition.

She explained that while managing everything, people were unaware of her struggles.

"In quiet moments, you're trying to show up for your children," she added. "But those things are huge medical scares."

Her first podcast guest was Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble. Herd also experienced pre-eclampsia and described it as "life or death."

She recalled seeing Meghan after Archie’s birth when "the whole world was waiting for his debut."

In the podcast, Meghan discussed balancing work and childcare. Lilibet often joins her during online meetings from home.

"I don't leave to go to an office; my office is here," she said. Lili still naps and has half days in preschool.

"If she wakes up and wants me, she knows where to find me," Meghan noted.

Lilibet sometimes sits on her lap during meetings with executives. However, Meghan stated she wouldn't have it any other way.

"I don’t want to miss those moments," she emphasized about pick-up and drop-off times.

Meghan's new podcast is produced by Lemonada Media. It follows her previous series called *Archetypes* on Spotify, which received criticism.

This is part of several business ventures for the duchess. She recently starred in a Netflix lifestyle series titled *With Love, Meghan* and launched a brand named As Ever.

She mentioned that her new series will feature "candid conversations with amazing women" along with some "girl talk."

In the first episode, Meghan said having young children while building a business brings perspective.

"You're building something while your child's going through potty training," she explained. Both experiences hold high value in their respective worlds.

What is pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia affects some women during late pregnancy or soon after delivery.

Early signs include high blood pressure and protein in urine.

Further symptoms may include severe headaches, vision problems, and pain below the ribs.

Many cases are mild but can lead to serious complications if untreated.