Sitti Navarro recently narrated her birthing story on Instagram. The new celebrity mom gave birth to her daughter, Issiah Dañelle, 36 weeks into her pregnancy.
On a two-part Instagram post, Sitti recounted feeling that her daughter—or "Lilibubs" as she and husband Joey Ramirez called her—was "kicking stronger than usual" a week before giving birth.
She wrote on her first Instagram post, "I had a feeling she was coming out soon, but thought Joey and I would still have a few days before her arrival. Being 36 weeks and 2 days, I was already permitted to walk. I was even thinking of watching a movie before delivery day."
At the time, Sitti was scheduled for a regular checkup with her doctor. She went with her family since Joey was still in Bacolod for the internment of his father, Dan, who passed away early that week.
She continued, "My mom, uncle, and brother and I had lunch after the checkup, but I had to go back in again for another non-stress test.
"At around 1pm, I started having contractions even as close as 4 minutes apart. My cervix was still closed, there was no bleeding, but on one of the contractions, Lilibubs’ heart rate decelerated so my OB kept me hooked to a monitor for 24 hours."
Sitti was admitted to the hospital.
They waited for any kind of development and by dinner time, her contractions were gone.
By then, Sitti was allowed to eat and she was delighted to know that she could.
She said, "I remember being so happy and exclaiming, 'Yay di ako ma-CS!', fully knowing that fasting is needed before major surgeries."
That night, her husband Joey made it back from Bacolod to be by Sitti's side.
Sitti Navarro delivers baby
On November 4, the next morning, Sitti and Joey informed their respective families that it was unlikely for them to deliver the baby that day.
But as Sitti recounted, "Mid-morning, contractions started again. Lilibubs’ heart rate decelerated again on one of the contractions, so our OB advised for us to undergo emergency CS that very day.
"Both Joey and I were at peace with this decision, we didn’t want to risk Lilibubs’ life especially since I’m an APAS case. So I went in for a regular checkup Saturday, tapos hindi na ako pinauwi! I'm just so glad that Joey was with me when I delivered. A week and a day after my father-in-law passed, our blessing of a baby was born."
She added: "Life to soften the blows of death. We are very thankful to family and friends who have been praying with us for Lilibubs’ good health and a safe delivery, as well as to those we don’t personally know. I have often said that I think one of the reasons we were able to reach nearly full-term, despite being APAS, is because our baby has been enveloped with so much love and prayers."
Sitti Navarro: PCOS and APAS journey
Sitti chronicled her pregnancy journey on her blog, including her struggle with PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome and APAS or Antiphospholipid syndrome.
Before getting prengant, Sitti knew that she has PCOS.
According to PregnancyBirthBaby, PCOS "is a common hormonal condition in women... [it] is a condition where the ovaries produce higher than normal levels of male hormones (androgens). This can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility and appearance."
Symptoms of these include irregular menstrual cycle, cysts on ovaries, infertility, weight gain, and acne.
Meanwhile, Sitti only learned about having APAS on her fourth week of pregnancy.
As per Mayo Clinic, APAS "occurs when your immune system mistakenly creates antibodies that make your blood much more likely to clot. This can cause dangerous blood clots in the legs, kidneys, lungs and brain.
"In pregnant women, antiphospholipid syndrome also can result in miscarriage and stillbirth."
Symptoms of APAS would include "repeated miscarriage or stillbirths... dangerously high blood pressure (preeclampsia) ad premature delivery."
On Sitti's second Instagram post, the new mom revealed that she has APAS Categories 1, 2, and 5.
Sitti further elaborated on these categories on her blog.
Category 1 referred to lack of blocking antibodies. Her OB, Dra. Eileen Manalo, told her that lacking blocking antibodies meant that the baby also lacked a "protective helmet."
Dra. Manalo then insisted her to go to immunologist, Dr. CJ Gloria.
After a series of tests and follow-up checkup with her OB, Sitti and husband Joey headed over to Dr. Gloria's clinic.
Here, Sitti found out she had APAS Category 2, which is "thrombophilia" -- her blood was clotting too fast. Since nutrients transferred from the mom to the baby via blood, the condition risked the child of getting little to no nutrients at all.
Lastly, Sitti learned about the fifth APAS Category--the natural killer cells. Dr. Gloria said that high levels of this "might attack the baby."
Sitti Navarro inspires fellow women with PCOS and APAS
Fast forward to her 36th week, Sitti gave birth to a healthy baby girl via emergency CS.
Sitti wrote on her Instagram, "During surgery it was found that my amniotic fluid was already low and that there were too many twists in her umbilical cord, prompting one of the doctors to say, 'Ang swerte ng batang ‘to.'
"Indeed, the decision to go for emergency CS was timely and right."
Issiah Dañelle, the daughter of Sitti and Joey, spent a day in the Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) for monitoring.
Sitti continued on her post, "It was only Joey who got to see her during this time and the family and I would just look over and over again at the photos and videos he took.
"The day after that, Nov 5, she was roomed in, and we spent our first sleepless yet amazing day and night with our firstborn.
"We are home now, she’s napping, Joey’s playing a game, and I’m putting my feet up because I’m manas from the operation. Tomorrow we will have a week-old baby. I still can’t believe it sometimes."
Sitti then wrote a message to her "fellow PCOS/APAS patients who are having difficulty conceiving or keeping a baby..."
She said, "Here is our daughter to give you hope that nothing is truly impossible with the Lord. That everyday He is making miracles, and that every time in every situation, His timing and His Will is perfect."
The singer also recounted her medical history:
- 2 years 10 months married before conception
- Both ovaries polycystic
- Mild endometriosis
- APAS Cat 1, 2 and 5
- Meds taken aside from prenatal vitamins:
- Aspirin and innohep from second month till 36 weeks
- Duphaston 2x-3x a day
- Metformin 3x a day
- Utrogestan once a day
- 15 billion probiotics 2x a day
Sitti ended her birthing story with a Bible quote, "'Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.' Genesis 18:14."
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