Pregnant Influencer Leah Jay Ramsey to Have Open-Heart Surgery After Mitral Valve Leak

Australian influencer Leah Jay Ramsey, who lives in Austin, Texas, is set to undergo open-heart surgery days after she and her husband announced they are expecting their second child. Her husband, Michael Ramsey, said in an Instagram post on Jan. 28 that a heart scan showed her mitral valve was leaking because of an infection, and the operation could take place as early as Friday, Jan.

30, or as late as Monday, Feb. 2. Per the Cleveland Clinic, the mitral valve sits between the upper and lower left heart chambers and prevents blood from moving backward; when it is too narrow or leaky the heart must work harder to pump blood. Michael said doctors found Leah’s valve was leaking due to an infection.

Michael wrote that surgeons will likely need to replace the valve with a mechanical valve but will try to save it if possible, and that they have been told there are significant risks for the baby. He added that if all goes well Leah could be out of the hospital about four to five days after surgery and that she is ‘‘doing well all things considered, taking each step in her stride and being brave through the process.’’ Leah posted that the problem began with a swollen, painful leg that led to emergency surgery to remove a blood clot, after which doctors discovered a heart infection that may have been in her body for close to a year.

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