Track Star Tori Bowie Died in Childbirth
The News
The track star Tori Bowie was eight months pregnant and in labor at the time of her death, according to an autopsy report shared with The New York Times. The autopsy lists respiratory distress and eclampsia as possible complications.
Frentorish Bowie, or Tori for short, a sprinter who competed at the Rio Olympics and won a silver medal in the 100 meters, a bronze in the 200 meters, and a gold in the 4x100-meter relay, died suddenly at the age of 32. It was days before she was found.
Her death was confirmed by U.S.A. Track and Field on May 3. No cause of death or exact date of death was known. There were no signs of foul play
Pre-eclampsia, a dangerous condition characterized by high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy, can turn into eclampsia, a rare and severe complication characterized by seizures and the onset of a coma.
Many studies have shown a greater risk of pre-eclampsia among Black woman in the United States. One of Bowie’s Olympic teammates, Allyson Felix, underwent an emergency C-section because of severe pre-eclampsia.
Source: The New York Times
