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How Did Woman Not Know She Was 7 Months Pregnant?

CHICAGO (CBS) -- She lost 10 pounds in seven months, and even went hiking two weeks ago; what Emily Sanders didn't know was she was seven months pregnant.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot has this Original Report about a surprise arrival.

Nicole Lynn Bartelstein was born last Thursday, weighing 2 pounds 3.3 ounces. Her arrival started with her mom going to the emergency room with severe cramping.

Sanders said, when the lab technician came back and told her she was pregnant, she was "in complete shock."

"I called my fiancé, and it was silence over the other end," she said.

Sanders and her fiancé had no idea she was seven months pregnant.

"I had something called placenta previa, which is where the placenta's not in the correct place, causes bleeding and clotting, making me not be able to feel her move, and why I was bleeding. It ... made me think I was having irregular menstrual cycles," she said.

An ultrasound soon showed the couple her daughter was in a standing position, not the natural fetal position, explaining why her belly was so flat.

Dr. Melissa Dennis, director of obstetrics at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, did not treat Sanders, but explained the rare condition involved.

"It happens in less than one percent of pregnancies," she said. "When someone has a placenta previa, what can happen is you can have painless vaginal bleeding. So a woman will easily think, 'Oh, I'm having my period right now.'"

A previous Cesarean section is one of the risk factors.

Nicole Lynn's older brother, Jesse, born 14 months ago by C-section, is eagerly awaiting his sister's arrival.

"She is so loved, and I can't wait to bring her home," Sanders said.

Sanders said Nicole Lynn likely will stay in the neonatal intensive care unit until September, when she's expected to go home.

Sanders is raising money on gofundme to help pay for the unexpected medical bills, and transportation to and from the hospital while Nicole Lynn is in the NICU.

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