Serena Williams has never been one to shy away from speaking her truth. But even she was surprised by how many women shared her pain.
The 44-year-old tennis legend took the stage at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit in New York City on September 10, 2026, where she reflected on her life-threatening first childbirth experience and the broader maternal healthcare crisis it exposed.
During a candid panel conversation, Williams revealed that sharing her story opened her eyes to a problem far larger than she had imagined.
“You know, when I told my story, I didn’t realize how many people could relate,” Williams said. “And then at first I thought it was just a minority problem, but then I realized it’s a women’s problem.”
She then delivered a line that cut to the heart of the issue—with her signature wit.
“So many women from every single background had a nightmare’s tale of their birth, you know? And then it boiled down to I thought, ‘Well, gosh, if men were giving birth, they would have sweets [and] like all kinds of medicines,'” she joked. “So it wouldn’t be the same problem at all.”
The comment drew laughs, but the underlying message was serious: women’s pain and women’s health concerns are too often dismissed in ways that would never be tolerated if the tables were turned.
Serena Williams Opens Up About Her First Pregnancy
Williams’ appearance at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit marked one of her most extensive public reflections on the traumatic experience she endured after welcoming her first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., in September 2017.
The complications began almost immediately after Olympia’s birth. Williams had delivered via emergency C-section after her daughter’s heart rate dropped dramatically during contractions. While the surgery itself went smoothly, what followed was anything but.
Just 24 hours after giving birth, Williams experienced a pulmonary embolism—a condition in which arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot. Because she had a history of blood clots, she recognized the symptoms immediately and alerted the nurses.
What followed was a cascade of medical emergencies. The intense coughing caused by the embolism popped open her C-section wound. Doctors then discovered a large hematoma—a swelling of clotted blood—in her abdomen, requiring another surgery. She ultimately spent six days in the hospital battling for her life.
During her Forbes panel, Williams emphasized the critical role that listening played in her survival.
“I knew something was wrong with me and it was super important that I was heard,” she said. “Thankfully, my doctor listened to me. The nurses did, but I was so fortunate enough to have a doctor that did and literally saved my life.”
Serena Williams’ Comment About Men Giving Birth
The joke about men receiving “sweets” if they were the ones giving birth was more than just a punchline. It was a pointed observation about how differently women’s pain is treated in medical settings.
Williams’ comment connects directly to her personal experience. Despite being one of the most famous athletes in the world—someone who knew her body intimately and had access to elite medical care—she still had to fight to be heard when she told medical staff something was wrong.
The joke resonates because it highlights an uncomfortable truth: women’s pain is often dismissed, minimized, or attributed to exaggeration. If men experienced childbirth and its complications, Williams suggested, the medical establishment would likely respond with far more urgency, comfort, and resources.
During the same panel, Williams noted that the issue crosses all demographic lines. She initially thought the problem was specific to minority communities but came to understand that women of every background have endured what she called “nightmare’s tales” of their births.
What Happened During Serena Williams’ First Childbirth?
The timeline of Williams’ medical ordeal has been extensively documented, primarily through her own accounts.
In September 2017, Williams gave birth to Olympia via emergency C-section. The surgery was successful, but the complications began the following day.
Williams began experiencing shortness of breath and immediately suspected a pulmonary embolism, given her medical history. When she alerted a nurse, the initial response was dismissive—the nurse reportedly suggested that her medication might be making her confused.
Williams insisted on specific tests. “I told him: ‘I’m going to have to have a CAT scan of my lungs bilaterally, and then I’ll have to be on my heparin drip,'” she recalled, per NBC New York. When the nurse pushed back, Williams was firm: “No, I’m going to tell you what I want: I need a scan right away. And I need to do it with dye.”
The scan revealed blood clots in her lungs. What followed was a six-day battle that included multiple surgeries. Her C-section wound had ruptured due to the coughing caused by the embolism. Doctors found a large hematoma in her abdomen. She required a filter inserted into a major vein to prevent new clots from reaching her lungs.
In total, Williams underwent four surgeries and spent six weeks bedridden after finally returning home. She has since described the experience as coming face-to-face with her own mortality.
“I am lucky to have survived,” she wrote in a 2018 CNN opinion piece.
Serena Williams and Maternal Healthcare
Williams’ experience transformed her into one of the most prominent advocates for maternal healthcare reform, particularly for Black women, who face disproportionately high rates of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States.
During her Forbes panel, Williams connected her advocacy to the work of the Reckitt Catalyst program, where she serves as the first entrepreneur-in-residence. The program supports female and underrepresented entrepreneurs working on health, hygiene, water, and sanitation solutions.
“What these women are doing is they’re really letting us know that women’s healthcare is so important, and healthcare in general,” Williams explained. “Because also we’re talking about women who take care of the kids, you know, I take care of my kids mostly.”
She emphasized the importance of making connections and opening doors for women-led health initiatives.
“With the program, we’re able to actually solve a lot of issues, make, like I said, make those connections that are really vital, that are really important to open so many doors,” she continued. “Because every time we open a door, we’re solving another problem that’s closer to helping us all in this room and helping our kids.”
In a 2025 interview with The Root, Williams spoke about the broader implications of her experience.
“Your body is always talking to you. Listen to it. Trust it,” she said. “I’ve spent my whole life learning about my body, on the court, through pregnancy, through recovery. I’ve had to fight to be heard, even when I knew something was wrong. Even with everything I know about my body, I’ve had moments where I didn’t feel right and couldn’t get answers. We deserve better.”
Serena Williams Became a Mother to Olympia
Williams’ journey into motherhood began with Olympia’s birth in September 2017. Despite the harrowing complications, Williams has spoken openly about the profound love she felt for her daughter—even though the connection didn’t come immediately during pregnancy.
In a personal essay for Elle, Williams admitted that she struggled to feel bonded to her baby before birth.
“I was nervous about meeting my baby,” she wrote. “Everywhere my pregnancy, I had never felt a connection with him. I’ve never had that wonderful ‘oh my god, this is my baby’ moment.”
That changed the moment she saw Olympia.
“When I finally saw her—and I knew it was going to be a girl, that was one thing I knew about her before we could even confirm it—I fell in love with her immediately,” Williams shared. “It wasn’t instantaneous at all, but it was there, and from that seed, it grew. I couldn’t stop staring at him, my Olympia.”
Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, welcomed their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian, in August 2023. Ohanian celebrated the birth with a heartfelt social media post: “I’m grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama. Feeling grateful. @serenawilliams, you’ve now given me another incomparable gift—you’re the GMOAT.”
Why Serena Williams Is Speaking About Her Pregnancy Now
Williams’ appearance at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit—her first major public discussion of her pregnancy experience in recent years—comes at a moment when maternal healthcare remains a critical issue in the United States.
Her decision to revisit the trauma of 2017 reflects a sustained commitment to using her platform for advocacy. She has consistently returned to this subject because the statistics remain grim: Black women in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the CDC.
Williams also used the Forbes platform to discuss her brief return to tennis, which she clarified is not a long-term commitment. She described it as an opportunity to show her daughters that women can embrace multiple roles—mother, athlete, entrepreneur—without having to choose just one.
“I think it’s expected that we [as women] wear multiple hats and don’t complain,” Williams said. “And I feel like I want to take on that message and that moment, and then have two daughters, and show my girls that they can do it too.”
Serena Williams’ Life After Tennis
Williams’ post-tennis life has been defined by entrepreneurship and advocacy as much as by her historic athletic career.
She founded Serena Ventures in 2014, a venture capital firm focused on investing in founders from underrepresented groups. Forbes estimates her net worth at $400 million, making her the wealthiest woman in the world who made her fortune primarily as an athlete.
Her return to tennis in June 2026 surprised many, but Williams has been clear that it’s not about chasing more titles. “It’s not anything long-term, it’s more or less having a lot of fun,” she said at the Forbes summit, adding that she wants her daughters to see “the person who appears in their school books.”
Her primary focus, she says, is now business and investment. “My life is mostly business and investing,” she stated.
Serena Williams’ Message About Women’s Healthcare
At its core, Williams’ message is about the power of being heard—and the danger of being dismissed.
Her survival, she has repeatedly emphasized, came down to her insistence that doctors take her seriously. She knew her body, she knew the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, and she refused to accept a dismissive response.
But Williams also recognizes that she was fortunate in ways many women are not. She had access to world-class medical facilities, a doctor who ultimately listened, and the resources to advocate for herself. Her advocacy is aimed at ensuring that other women—regardless of race, income, or background—receive the same standard of care.
“EVERY mother, regardless of race, or background deserves to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth,” Williams wrote in a 2018 Facebook post. “I personally want all women of all colors to have the best experience they can have.”
Her joke about men receiving “sweets” was funny because it was true—and because it pointed to a fundamental inequity that she has spent years trying to address.
What Serena Williams Has Said About Motherhood
Williams has been remarkably candid about the realities of motherhood, including the difficult moments that are rarely discussed publicly.
In a 2018 interview with Vogue, she spoke about the emotional challenges of early motherhood.
“Sometimes I get really down and feel like, Man, I can’t do this,” she admitted. “No one talks about the low moments—the pressure you feel, the incredible letdown every time you hear the baby cry. I’ve broken down I don’t know how many times.”
She has also spoken about how motherhood changed her perspective on her career. In the documentary “Being Serena,” she reflected on the fear she felt about balancing her roles as a mother and an athlete.
“The fear that I might not come back as strong as I was, the fear that I can’t be both, the best mother and the best tennis player in the world,” she said.
Ultimately, Williams has said that motherhood gave her a new perspective on what matters. In her 2018 CNN op-ed, she wrote: “My daughter was born by emergency C-section… But what followed just 24 hours after giving birth were six days of uncertainty.” She has since described Olympia as “the reason why it means even more than it did before.”
Serena Williams’ First Pregnancy: Key Timeline
April 2017: Williams reveals she is pregnant, having won the Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant.
September 1, 2017: Williams gives birth to Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. via emergency C-section after her daughter’s heart rate drops dramatically during contractions.
September 2, 2017: Williams experiences a pulmonary embolism. She alerts nurses and insists on a CT scan, which reveals blood clots in her lungs.
September 2017: Williams undergoes multiple surgeries, including one to address a hematoma in her abdomen. She spends six days in the hospital.
2018: Williams publishes a CNN op-ed detailing her experience and calling for improved maternal healthcare.
August 2023: Williams and Ohanian welcome their second daughter, Adira River Ohanian.
September 10, 2026: Williams reflects on her first pregnancy and maternal healthcare at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit, joking that if men gave birth, they’d have “sweets.”
What We Know About Serena Williams’ Pregnancy Story
Confirmed
- Serena Williams gave birth to her first daughter, Olympia, in September 2017 via emergency C-section.
- She experienced a pulmonary embolism after giving birth and underwent multiple surgeries.
- She spent six days in the hospital and six weeks bedridden at home.
- She credits her survival to being heard by her doctor.
- She has advocated for maternal healthcare, particularly for Black women.
- She welcomed her second daughter, Adira, in August 2023.
- She spoke about her experience at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit on September 10, 2026.
Do Not Assume
- Private medical details that Williams has not publicly shared.
- Speculation about her current health status.
- Unverified claims about future pregnancies.
- Rumors about her family’s private life.
- Medical diagnoses beyond what Williams herself has described.
FAQ
What did Serena Williams say about her first pregnancy?
Williams said she didn’t realize how many women could relate to her experience until she shared it. She noted that she initially thought the problem was specific to minority communities but came to understand it was “a women’s problem” affecting all backgrounds.
Why did Serena Williams describe her first pregnancy as difficult?
Williams experienced life-threatening complications after giving birth, including a pulmonary embolism, a ruptured C-section wound, and a hematoma that required multiple surgeries. She spent six days in the hospital and six weeks bedridden.
What did Serena Williams mean by saying men would have sweets if they gave birth?
Williams was making a humorous but pointed observation that women’s pain during childbirth and postpartum recovery is often dismissed or inadequately treated. She suggested that if men were the ones giving birth, the medical response would be more attentive and generous.
When did Serena Williams have her first child?
Williams gave birth to her first daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., on September 1, 2017.
Who is Serena Williams’ daughter?
Serena Williams has two daughters: Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., born in September 2017, and Adira River Ohanian, born in August 2023. She shares both children with her husband, Alexis Ohanian.
What has Serena Williams said about maternal healthcare?
Williams has said that “doctors aren’t listening” to women, particularly Black women, and has advocated for improved healthcare access. She has emphasized the importance of women trusting their bodies and advocating for themselves.
Where did Serena Williams recently discuss her pregnancy experience?
Williams discussed her first pregnancy and maternal healthcare at the Forbes Power Women’s Summit in New York City on September 10, 2026.
What happened during Serena Williams’ childbirth experience?
Williams delivered via emergency C-section after her daughter’s heart rate dropped. The next day, she experienced a pulmonary embolism. She insisted on specific tests after a nurse was dismissive, and the scan confirmed blood clots in her lungs. She underwent multiple surgeries and spent six days in the hospital.