sixtime olympic gold medalist allyson felix shared with lawmakers on thursday the two most terrifying days that left her fighting for not only her life but her infant daughters at the time i did not realize just how many other women just like me were experiencing those same fears and much worse she said according to prepared testimony to a house ways and means committee panel felix was 32 weeks pregnant when she went to her doctor for a routine checkup she had no prior complications and to her knowledge was healthy she noticed her feet were a little swollen but wasnt concerned it was just swelling after all and if there was anything to worry about i trusted my doctors would have told me to look out for i am a professional athlete and had continued to exercise throughout my pregnancy and was in great shape she explained she didnt know her routine prenatal checkup appointment would turn into one of the most frightening days of her life more black moms are dying at higher rates kamala harris elizabeth warren call for change us track and field olympian allyson felix testifies before the house ways and means committee about how she had a severe case of preeclampsia that led to an e show more chip somodevillagetty images surviving the odds felixs doctor checked on her daughter camryn as she normally would but left the room while felix sat in silence filling with anxious anticipation as minutes passed those few moments lasted an eternity but the doctor finally came back in and she told me that i would need to go to the hospital for further tests felix said felix told her doctor she would go to the hospital after her scheduled photoshoot with espn but her doctor made it clear that she needed to head there immediately as her nerves started to kick in felix said she remembered feeling alone in the car ride from the doctors office to the hospital i was scared and i felt alone felix said not just because my husband was at work and my family was 1500 miles away i felt alone because i thought i must have done something wrong this must have been my fault i felt like i was one of a very few women that something so unpredictable was happening to i had a severe case of preeclampsia and if the doctors didnt act fast this could prove fatal felix told congress preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system most often the liver and kidneys according to mayo clinic ten hours later felix ended up needing an emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks a full pregnancy term is recognized at 39 weeks the lives of both mother and daughter were at risk from left members of the united states 4x100meter relay team morolake akinosun allyson felix tianna bartoletta and english gardner walk to the finish after dr show