23-year-old woman dies of a rare heart disease 9 days after giving birth to twins

A heartbreaking tragedy has struck as Morgan Hughes, a new mother from Utah, passed away just nine days after giving birth to her twin babies.  

Morgan, who had always dreamed of becoming a mother, was overjoyed to welcome her son and daughter on December 19. The twins, Georgia and Hudson, were born prematurely and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for specialized care. 

Despite the challenges, Morgan and her husband, Sam Hughes, visited them frequently, eagerly anticipating the day they could bring their babies home.  

However, Morgan began to feel unwell about a week after delivery. She experienced vomiting, fainting spells, and believed she might have had a seizure. Concerned, she sought medical help, where doctors discovered fluid around her heart and diagnosed her with postpartum cardiomyopathy, also known as peripartum cardiomyopathy. This rare form of heart failure weakens the heart muscle toward the end of pregnancy or in the months following childbirth.  

Morgan was admitted to the intensive care unit at Utah Valley Hospital, but despite receiving intensive medical care, she tragically passed away from cardiac arrest on December 28.  

Describing the immense loss, her grieving husband, Sam, said, “It’s been devastating. We certainly weren’t expecting this at all…….. 

“She’s always wanted to be a mom and has loved babies forever “She was known as the baby whisperer, even when she was young.”

In a poignant farewell, Morgan was laid to rest holding her newborn twins in her arms, a moving tribute to her short but beautiful journey into motherhood.  

The twins remain in the NICU but are expected to be released later this month.  

Paying tribute to Morgan, Sam’s mother, Christy Hodson, reflected, “It’s the best place to be, but to me, sometimes it’s the hardest place to be, because you’re sitting there going, well, Morgan should be holding the babies. Morgan should be feeding the babies.”