Husband of Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader Who Died of Sepsis After Stillbirth Speaks Out Against 'One-Size-Fits-All' Prenatal Care

Krystal "Krissy" Anderson died of sepsis on March 20 following the stillbirth of her daughter

The husband of the former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader who died in childbirth following the stillbirth of her daughter is speaking out.

Clayton Anderson called his late wife Krystal "Krissy" Anderson "my world, my best friend and obviously the love of my life" in an interview with ABC News following her March 20 death from sepsis at age 40.

Krissy died after the stillbirth of the couple's daughter, Charlotte Willow, on March 16. Charlotte was born during Krissy's 20th week of pregnancy, per ABC News.

The couple rushed to the hospital because Krissy was feeling back pain, which was a symptom the couple had been told by their doctor could be due to contractions or dehydration. Tests revealed the presence of amniotic fluid and Charlotte's heartbeat couldn't be detected by 9 p.m. on March 16.

Related: Racial Disparities in Healthcare Have Led to High Maternal Mortality Rates — What One Doctor Is Doing About It

Hours after her daughter's death, Krissy spiked a fever and began showing signs of "severe sepsis," ABC News reported.

Doctors performed surgery to remove Charlotte from Krissy's uterus to save her life, her husband told the outlet.

After the first surgery, Krissy "returned on a ventilator and dialysis machine with kidney, liver, and lung failure," and had to undergo two more surgeries.

By the night of Tuesday, March 19, Krissy appeared to be recovering but her condition suddenly deteriorated that night and she died from sepsis-related complications on Wednesday morning.

Related: Tori Bowie's Death During Childbirth Spotlights High Maternal Mortality Rate Among Black Women

According to the Mayo Clinic, sepsis is “a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection." The condition can lead to septic shock and death.

At least 1.7 million adults in the U.S. develop sepsis, and nearly 270,000 die from the infection, per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Maternal sepsis is the second leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the U.S. according to an organization called End Sepsis.

Per the medical journal Healthcare, "Black and Hispanic populations are frequently associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality in sepsis," than their white counterparts.

Related: Allyson Felix on the Maternal Mortality Rate for Black Women: We 'Are at Risk No Matter What'

"While this is often attributed to systemic bias against minority groups, a growing body of literature has found patient, community, and hospital-based factors to be driving racial differences," the journal continued.

Clayton told ABC News: "One of the issues that I guess I have with the system overall is Krystal is 40, and she's Black, and we'd had a loss before, but even then they say you know, you can't start a plan with maternal-fetal medicine or the high-risk maternity doctors until you get to week 14."

Before Charlotte's death, the couple had also lost a son, James, to stillbirth in 2022.

Related: Meet the Women Fighting to Save Black Mothers: 'There's a Lot of Work to Do'

Krissy died before reaching her 22nd week of pregnancy, when doctors had planned to admit her to a specialized hospital that handled pre-viable births.

"All pregnancy is high risk, especially, more so, when you're a woman of color, or you're older, and they should be treated that way from the start," Clayton told ABC News.

"Expecting somebody who's had a loss to go four weeks in between seeing their care providers… That's the same protocol that's done for a 23-year-old that's very healthy," he said. "It can't be a one-size-fits-all."

AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, the hospital that Krystal visited, offered a statement to ABC News. They did not detail details about patient care due to HIPAA.

"Our hearts are hurting in this tragic situation. We along with the independent providers who deliver care in our facilities strive to provide the best possible care to every patient based on their specific needs and circumstances. We extend our prayers and support to family members and loved ones experiencing the devastating loss of precious life," the message read.

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Krissy cheered for the Chiefs from 2006 to 2011 and 2013 to 2016 before working as a yoga instructor and software engineer, per her obituary. She was working in healthcare technology at the time of her death and advocated for more Black women to pursue careers in STEM.

"Krystal radiated joy and laughter to everyone she encountered," her obituary read. A GoFundMe has been set up in her honor.

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