Florida woman loses arms, legs due to rare condition during pregnancy

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Pregnancy is not always the easiest journey in life.

For Kayleigh Ferguson, it was dangerous. The mother survived a rare medical condition that cost her her second child, and her arms and legs.

In March 2017, when Ferguson was six months into her pregnancy, she was rushed to the hospital gasping for air and clinging to life.

She had to be placed in a medically induced coma after hearing that doctors couldn’t save her baby.

“I was hearing the news that the baby didn’t make it. They couldn’t find a heartbeat,” said Ferguson. “I didn’t know what was happening.”

When Ferguson woke up from the induced come, she discovered her hands were black, her legs swollen and her organs were failing.

Sepsis, a life-threatening infection that causes immune system to attack the body, had set in due to what's called an "incompetent cervix."

Doctors had to amputate Ferguson’s arms and legs to save her life.

“Because I have a strong faith, I had some stability,” she said. “I have to move forward. I’ll be living a different way, but I’m here.”

It was faith her family clung to as well.

“We still have a great life to live,” said her husband, Ramon Ferguson Walker.

The American Pregnancy Association said nearly 1 in 4, second-trimester miscarriages are due to an incompetent cervix.

But sepsis doesn't often follow that condition.

Ferguson will be getting prostheses soon.

Cox Media Group