Vu-An Foster’s sunny Newark, N.J., apartment is lined with greenery. Potted plants cover every surface. Many of them came from a single seedling—one that a friend gifted her after she lost her first daughter to stillbirth.

Foster had always wanted to be a mom. She finally celebrated the birth of a healthy baby last year, after experiencing two painful pregnancy losses. After that successful birth, she suffered severe postpartum preeclampsia, a serious condition that is not only life-threatening but can also increase the risk for heart disease later in life.

Through research, she learned that her pregnancy losses were preventable. She decided to start an organization called Life After 2 Losses to share her story and support new parents with similar experiences.

Read the full story in Scientific American.

Meghan McDonough is a filmmaker and journalist based in Brooklyn, New York.

Co-published with Scientific American.