“Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot underwent emergency brain surgery while eight months pregnant, the actress revealed Sunday in a candid social media post detailing her health crisis from early 2024.
“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,” Gadot wrote on Instagram. “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.”
According to Gadot, she experienced excruciating headaches that confined her to bed for weeks. A February MRI revealed a massive blood clot in her brain during her advanced pregnancy.
“In one moment, my family and I were faced with how fragile life can be,” she reflected. “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.”
The actress underwent immediate surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where she credits an “extraordinary team of doctors” for her successful operation and subsequent recovery after weeks of intensive care.
In a touching revelation, Gadot shared that her newborn daughter was named Ori, meaning “my light.” Before the surgery, she had told her husband Jaron that their baby would be “the light waiting for me at the end of this tunnel.” The couple are also parents to Alma (11), Maya (6), and Daniella (2).
Gadot was diagnosed with Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVT), noting that “3 in 100,000 pregnant women in the 30s+ age group are diagnosed with CVT.” While potentially fatal if untreated, the condition is treatable when detected early.
“Sharing this is not meant to frighten anyone but to empower,” she says. “If even one person feels compelled to take action for their health because of this story, it will have been worth sharing.”
