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Stephanie Arnold’s story is a powerful and dramatic example of a Near-Death Experience (NDE) during an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE)—a rare, often fatal complication in childbirth.

🩺 What Happened to Stephanie?

• At 20 weeks pregnant, Stephanie began having vivid premonitions, feeling she would hemorrhage, need a hysterectomy, and die, even though all tests were normal  .
• On the day of her planned C-section, her baby Jacob was delivered—but seconds later, Stephanie flatlined for 37 seconds  .
• She experienced cardiac arrest, followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), losing coagulation and suffering multi-organ collapse—lungs, kidneys, bladder even required dialysis  .
• Doctors administered 60 units of O– blood, performed an emergency hysterectomy, and placed her in a six-day medically induced coma  .

🌌 Stephanie’s NDE & Premonitions

• Foreknowledge: Months before, she predicted the exact sequence of events: hemorrhage, hysterectomy, anesthesia, flatline—and they all came true ().
• NDE via regression therapy: After waking, she underwent hypnotherapy and vividly described:
  
• Floating above her body in the OR
• Seeing her doctors’ locations, actions, and even thoughts
• Screaming, CPR being administered, details only caregivers could know  .
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Doctors who reviewed her regression tapes confirmed her accuracy and were shocked by her knowledge of events when her eyes were taped shut  .

👨‍⚕️ How She Survived

1. Premonitions led to action: Her request to speak to an anesthesiologist prompted them to prepare extra blood, monitors, and a crash cart  .
2. Expert, fast response: The team executed life-saving protocols within seconds of her collapse.
3. Post-care: Her recovery involved ICU care, dialysis, and ongoing emotional and physical healing.

📚 Current Impact

• Stephanie authored 37 Seconds (2015), a national bestseller and award‑winning story of her experience  .
• She now serves on the AFE Foundation board, advocating for patient‑centered care and physician awareness  .
• Her story has been featured on Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, CBS Chicago, and more  .

🧭 What Makes Her Case Remarkable

Feature	Details
Rare complication	AFE occurs in about 1 in 15,000 to 40,000 births
Premonitions	Detailed and materialized predictions months ahead ()
Flatline NDE	Clinically dead for 37 seconds, with an accurate OBEs under taped eyes ()
Corroboration	Medical team validated her regression therapy insights ()

🔍 Skepticism & Discussion

Some in the NDE community raise questions:

“I believe she only remembered the experiences… after receiving hypnotherapy.”

“Had detailed description ceases when she talks about the experience itself.” 

These critiques reflect ongoing debate about memory recovery techniques like regression therapy.

📝 Would You Like to Explore?

• Medical perspective on maternal emergencies and AFE protocols
• NDE research: Objective vs subjective explanations
• Books & Media: Interviews, her memoir, podcasts

Let me know which angle you’d like to dive into!