Gal Gadot revealed Sunday that she was diagnosed with a blood clot in her brain early this year during the eighth month of pregnancy and had to undergo emergency surgery before giving birth to her fourth child.
The “Wonder Woman 1984” and “Death on the Nile” star confirmed Sunday that she is “fully healed and filled with gratitude” for the life she has been given back.
Gadot, 39, said she wrestled with whether she should publicly disclose the story, noting in her Sunday Instagram post about the health issue that sharing it could help her process it and pull back the curtain “on the fragile reality behind the curated moments we share on social media.”
In a year full of “profound challenges and deep reflections” for the actor, Gadot said that she hoped she could “raise awareness and support others who may face something similar.”
The “Justice League” star said she had endured weeks of excruciating headaches that confined her to her bed before an MRI revealed in February that she had a “massive” blood clot in her brain.
“In one moment, my family and I were faced with how fragile life can be. It was a stark reminder of how quickly everything can change, and in the midst of a difficult year, all I wanted was to hold on and live,” Gadot wrote.
“We rushed to the hospital, and within hours, I underwent emergency surgery. My daughter, Ori, was born during that moment of uncertainty and fear,” the ““Heart of Stone” and “Red Notice” star wrote. “Her name, meaning ‘my light’ [in Hebrew], wasn’t chosen by chance. Before the surgery, I told [husband] Jaron that when our daughter arrived, she would be the light waiting for me at the end of this tunnel. Thanks to an extraordinary team of doctors at @cedarssinai and weeks of dedicated care, I made it through and began the road to recovery. Today, I am fully healed and filled with gratitude for the life I’ve been given back.”
The “Snow White” star added that she learned that “it’s vital to listen” to her body and trust what it’s telling her: “Pain, discomfort, or even subtle changes often carry deeper meaning, and being attuned to your body can be life saving,” she wrote.
Additionally, Gadot said, “awareness matters.” The action star said that she had been unaware of the prevalence among pregnant women of cerebral venous thrombosis, or CVT, which is the development of a blood clot in the brain.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnancy and delivery increase the risk of thromboembolism, or circulating blood clots, including CVT. A 2018 study published by the National Institutes of Health reported that CVTs make up about 0.5% of strokes and that up to 80% of CVT patients make a complete recovery, with 13% having a negative outcome such as death or severe disability.
“It’s so important to identify early because it’s treatable,” Gadot wrote. “While rare, it’s a possibility, and knowing it exists is the first step to addressing it. Sharing this is not meant to frighten anyone but to empower. If even one person feels compelled to take action for their health because of this story, it will have been worth sharing.”
Upon announcing Ori’s birth in March, Gadot seemingly alluded to her health struggle.
“My sweet girl, welcome,” she wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “The pregnancy was not easy and we made it through.”
Gadot and husband Jaron Varsano, whom she married in 2008, also share daughters Alma, Maya and Daniella.
