When pregnancy becomes a fight for survival: experiences of women surviving preeclampsia and eclampsia at a public regional referral hospital in Northern Uganda, a qualitative descriptive study

Abstract Background Preeclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E) are major, preventable causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in Uganda, yet survivor experiences remain underreported. We explored how women who survived PE/E made sense of symptoms, navigated care, and rebuilt life after discharge Methods A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, Northern Uganda (March-May 2024). Using purposive sampling for variation, we completed 15 in-depth interviews with women 18years or older within 12 weeks postpartum who survived PE/E. Interviews were audio-recorded, translated where needed, and analyzed thematically in ATLAS.ti with team-based coding and consensus. Results PE/E was experienced as a sudden rupture of an expected normal pregnancy, often felt as living on the edge of death for both mother and baby. Four interlinked themes captured the trajectory: (1) death and uncertainty (fear, sleeplessness, shock, anger, loss of control); (2) life turned upside down (exhausting monitoring/medication routines, physical limitation, social withdrawal, strained or strengthened relationships, and threatened livelihoods);(3) silence versus clarity in care (thin antenatal explanations and minimal discharge guidance prolonged anxiety, while respectful education restored confidence and enable self-care); and (4) cautious future orientation (fear of recurrence reshaped reproductive goals, prompting delayed or closely monitored pregnancies, supported by faith and new knowledge). Women called for earlier blood pressure checks, clearer counselling, reliable medicines, and planned follow-up Conclusion Surviving PE/E is not only biomedical recovery but a longer process of restoring safety, meaning, and functioning. Patient-informed improvements should embed respectful communication from antenatal entry through discharge, structured postpartum follow-up, and integrated psychosocial and partner support.