Actor Gal Gadot has again spoken about the medical emergency that nearly killed her during her most recent pregnancy, using a Cedars-Sinai Women’s Guild fundraiser in Los Angeles to thank the doctors who treated her and to raise awareness about rare brain clots in expectant mothers.
Gadot said that in February 2024, when she was eight months pregnant, she battled intense headaches for several weeks before an MRI revealed what she has called a massive clot in her brain. She was rushed into emergency care, delivered her daughter Ori within hours, and then underwent a thrombectomy to remove the clot. Gadot has said she is now fully recovered and credits the hospital team with saving her life.
In interviews earlier this year, Gadot recalled that several initial appointments treated the pain as migraines, and she credited her mother for urging her to seek imaging when the headaches did not let up. She has urged pregnant patients to keep pushing for answers if symptoms persist or feel out of the ordinary, adding that doctors later told her earlier anticoagulant treatment can often control the condition before it becomes severe.
Gadot’s diagnosis fits cerebral venous thrombosis, a rare form of stroke caused by clotting in the brain’s venous system. Medical literature estimates pregnancy-related cases at roughly 1 to 12 per 100,000 deliveries, with many appearing in the third trimester or shortly after birth, when pregnancy increases the body’s tendency to clot. Headache is the most common warning sign, reported in about 90 percent of cases, but specialists note it can resemble common pregnancy discomforts, which may slow recognition. Standard care starts with blood thinners, while clot-removal procedures are reserved for serious cases.
By putting her experience back in the spotlight, Gadot adds a high-visibility example to maternal health efforts focused on earlier imaging and intervention for neurological symptoms during pregnancy, even as she prepares for a busy 2026 film schedule.
