39-Year-Old Mom Survives Postpartum SCAD Heart Attack

When 39-year-old Carlie Messerly returned to work after giving birth to her fifth child, she expected a routine first day back. She never imagined it would end in a life-altering medical emergency.

"I Thought I Was Too Young."

The symptoms started subtly. “I remember getting this strange, dull headache — nothing like a normal one,” Messerly says. “Then came this pressure in my chest and pain down my arm. I thought, 'this can’t be a heart attack — I’m only 39.'”

Despite the growing discomfort, Messerly's first instinct was to care for her family. She drove home to feed her baby before finally asking her husband to take her to the emergency room.

“Like most moms, I just kept thinking about everyone else,” she says. “But something inside told me I needed to get help immediately.”

Coordinated Care in a Health Crisis

At the hospital, the reality of the situation set in. Meserly's blood pressure was dangerously high, and blood tests confirmed her heart was in distress. The local team immediately contacted Dr. Mir Rauf Subla, an interventional cardiologist at UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center, who coordinated her urgent transfer to UnityPoint Health – Trinity Regional Medical Center.

“When Dr. Subla met me in the emergency room, he was so calm and reassuring,” Messerly says. “He explained that I had SCAD —spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Essentially, there were tears in the arteries of my heart. I had no idea what that even was.”

After being stabilized, Messerly was airlifted to another hospital for specialized monitoring. Because open-heart surgery was deemed too risky, the focus shifted to allowing her heart to heal on its own under the close watch of a cardiac ICU team.

“Both teams were amazing,” she says. “Dr. Subla made sure I got to the right place and even called me after I was discharged to check on me. That meant so much.”

Understanding SCAD and the Postpartum Connection: A Different Kind of Heart Attack

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) occurs when layers of an artery wall separate, often from a sudden bleed or “bruise” inside the vessel. This can narrow blood flow and reduce oxygen to the heart. Though rare, SCAD mostly affects women, accounting for 1–4% of all heart attacks.

When it occurs during or shortly after pregnancy, it’s called P-SCAD. It’s also a leading cause of pregnancy-related heart attacks and is usually more severe than other SCAD cases. It typically happens from one to four weeks postpartum but can occur up to six months after delivery.

SCAD is more common in women of later reproductive age or those with multiple pregnancies, even without traditional heart disease risk factors. Hormonal shifts, increased blood flow and the physical stress of labor may make arteries more prone to tears. Compared with typical SCAD, P-SCAD often affects major arteries, can reduce heart function and may require urgent treatment.

P-SCAD can look and feel like a heart attack, which means symptoms may include:

Chest pain or pressure
Lightheadedness or fainting
Nausea or vomiting
Shortness of breath
Sweating

If you experience these, call 911 immediately. SCAD is usually confirmed with a coronary angiography, an X-ray test that maps the heart’s arteries using dye. Treatment often starts with standard heart attack care — aspirin, beta-blockers (if stable), nitrates for chest pain and oxygen, if needed. Many patients recover with conservative therapy, though severe P-SCAD may require stents or bypass surgery. Long-term medications like aspirin and beta-blockers reduce recurrence risk.

Pregnancy after P-SCAD is high risk. Anyone considering another pregnancy should consult their cardiologist and OB/GYN first.

Rebuilding Strength Through Cardiac Rehabilitation

Today, Messerly is back at Trinity Regional Medical Center for cardiac rehabilitation.

“It's helped me feel safe being active again,” she says. “It’s not just physical healing; it’s emotional, too."

While Messerly still faces uncertainty as her heart continues to heal, she says the experience changed her outlook on life.

“I thank God every day that I’m still here for my husband and my five kids,” she says. “I truly believe I was in the right place, with the right people, at the right time.”