Gal Gadot Reveals She Had to Have Emergency Surgery 8 Months Pregnant

Gal Gadot suffered a near-death experience after developing a “massive blood clot” in her brain while eight months pregnant with her fourth child. The Wonder Woman actress, 39, recalled the “terrifying” time in her pregnancy in a Sunday Instagram post, saying that she is now “fully healed and filled with gratitude for the life I’ve been given back.”

Gadot shared that she received her diagnosis in February after weeks of enduring “excruciating headaches” that left her confined to her bed. It was only after she underwent an MRI that Gadot’s doctors learned the “terrifying truth” about the blood clot in her brain.

“In one moment, my family and I were faced with how fragile life can be,” Gadot wrote. “It was a stark reminder of how quickly everything can change, and in the midst of a difficult year, all I wanted was to hold on and live.”

Within hours of her diagnosis, the Heart of Stone actress underwent emergency surgery, during which her daughter Ori was born. “My daughter, Ori, was born during that moment of uncertainty and fear,” Gadot continued. “Her name, meaning ‘my light,’ wasn’t chosen by chance. Before the surgery, I told [husband Jaron Varsano] that when our daughter arrived, she would be the light waiting for me at the end of this tunnel.”

Thanking the “extraordinary team of doctors” at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, the actress said she “made it through and began the road to recovery,” adding, “Today, I am fully healed and filled with gratitude for the life I’ve been given back.”

Going through such a harrowing experience taught the mother of four it’s “vital to listen to our bodies and trust what it’s telling us,” as she reminded her followers that “being attuned to your body can be life saving.”

“I had no idea that 3 in 100,000 pregnant women in the 30s+ age group are diagnosed with CVT (develop a blood clot in the brain),” she explained. “It’s so important to identify early because it’s treatable. While rare, it’s a possibility, and knowing it exists is the first step to addressing it.”

Gadot insisted that while she didn’t want to “frighten anyone” with her story, she hoped it could “empower” someone to “take action for their health.”

“This year has been one of profound challenges and deep reflections, and I’ve wrestled with how, or even if, to share a personal story,” she added. “At the end, I decided to let my heart guide me. Perhaps this is my way of processing everything, of pulling back the curtain on the fragile reality behind the curated moments we share on social media. Most of all, I hope that by sharing, I can raise awareness and support others who may face something similar.”