March 29, 2024

Marie Anna Van Hugten

Feb. 4, 2015

Marie, Jan. 30, 2015-Feb. 4, 2015, a twin, passed away peacefully in her mother’s arms after five days in the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Her death was caused by pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) as a result of being born 4 months premature at 1 pound, 1 ounce and 10.5 inches long. In utero, Marie enjoyed sucking her thumb and tucking herself in the corner while her twin sister did aerobics. After being born, Marie crossed her toes and wrinkled her forehead like Daddy and fought her condition to squeeze her parents’ fingers.

While resting at home, Marie’s mother started bleeding and went to the hospital. As a result of this rare symptom, Marie’s mother made it just in time before Marie’s heart beat could no longer be detected and both girls were taken by emergency c-section. The doctors told Marie’s mother that this symptom typically occurs only in cases of blunt force trauma to the abdomen, but this was not the case; Marie’s mother was watching television. Without this rare symptom, Marie would’ve passed in utero and since her mother’s next appointment was three weeks later, her twin sister (Anna) would have also died in utero from infection and potentially her mother as well. The doctors stated that normally when a placental abruption occurs, it is symptomless and a mother finds out at her next ultrasound that there is no heartbeat. The doctors said this rare symptom “is like a miracle.”

After Marie was born, the doctors discovered her umbilical cord was severely disintegrated and they wondered how Marie survived in utero as long as she did and again stated “it’s a miracle.” Both babies were admitted to the NICU.

As Marie’s mother, Major Atkinson — a U.S. Marine Officer, entered her 6 weeks (42 days) of Department of Defense authorized convalescent (medical) leave used to spend with a new child and recover from childbirth, she asked, “When Anna (the surviving twin) is released from the NICU, will I be allowed time with my child just as other mothers are who typically take their babies home in the normal six week period? Can I stop the six week clock now that I am healed and use the remainder of the six weeks when Anna is released?” Marie’s mother was told, “Nothing in the current policy allows you time with your baby when she is released from the hospital outside of the normal 6 weeks, which must be used consecutively and cannot be broken apart. Males get 10 days of paternity leave when the child is released from the hospital. There is no such thing as maternity leave in the Department of Defense. You get six weeks of convalescent (medical) leave just for giving birth, which most women use to spend with their new baby. After Anna’s release in a few months, you will have to burn annual leave (personal vacation time).”

Marie’s mother then began submitting written correspondence to Headquarters Marine Corps to include those responsible for the Marine Corps and Navy pregnancy and leave policy and also to her colleagues who meet with the Secretary of the Navy.

Marie’s mother pointed out that: 1) the current policy in effect for decades is insufficient for families whose babies are not released from the hospital during the normal 6 week convalescent leave period and will need time to adjust to life at home — especially those babies released from critical condition; 2) there is no such thing as maternity leave when a child is released from the hospital, but there’s paternity leave, and 3) when the 6 weeks of medical/convalescent leave are complete, mothers with NICU babies need to be at the NICU to touch and hold their children which has been medically and physiologically proven to help babies turn very critical medical corners of progress which medicine cannot do ... called Kangaroo Care. Major Atkinson requested an unprecedented change to the current policy in place for the entire Department of Defense.

Marie’s mother’s efforts were effective. On July 2, 2015, via ALNAV message 053/15, the Secretary of the Navy changed the pregnancy (maternity) and convalescent leave policy effective immediately from six weeks of leave to 18 weeks (126 days) for all Navy and Marine Corps women who give birth. This change now allows Navy and Marine Corps females who give birth 84 days (three months) of convalescent leave plus an additional six weeks of new maternity leave. This leave can now be taken at any time in the child’s first year of life and does not have to be used consecutively. In addition, the Secretary of the Navy made the policy retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015, for this family.

As a result of this change, the Army and Air Force are now looking to change their policies and ladies who were going to separate from the Navy and Marine Corps to spend more time with their babies are pulling back their separation packages. Civilian employers are also now reviewing their maternity leave policies as well.

If Marie had been born full term at nine months or died in utero taking Anna with her from infection, the normal 6 weeks of leave would have been sufficient for her mother and the policy would remain unchanged. The rare symptom Marie gave her mother resulted in saving the life of her sister and mother, and creating a NICU experience which resulted in a significant maternity and convalescent leave policy change for military families and their babies. By allowing military mothers more time with their babies, the infants’ health and mortality rates will dramatically improve. In addition, this policy change resulted in a higher retention of women in the military and other Service branches reviewing their policies which will lead to an entire Department of Defense maternity and convalescent leave change.

Marie was an angel who came to bring awareness to an issue that needed to be changed. Her purpose was significant. Of all the people Marie could have been born to, she was born to a high-ranking officer with friends in the right places who could affect the change she was sent by God to make.

Survivors include her fraternal twin sister, Anna Marie Van Hugten; mother, Major Carrie Marie (Pendroy) Atkinson, USMC of Newton; her father Captain Leon R.O. Van Hugten (Dutch Army); grandmother, Lisa K. (Stoner) Pendroy of Ankeny; grandfather, Steven E. Comstock of Van Buren, Ark.; uncle, Cameron C. Comstock of Des Moines; great-grandmother, Darlene V. Stoner of Prairie City. Other survivors include her Dutch relatives, brother, Jimmy Van Hugten; grandmother Ank (Anna) Van Hugten; and uncles, Cyril and Sylvair Van Hugten of Heerlen, Netherlands. Marie is proceeded in death by her uncle, William C. (Craig) Comstock; grandfather, Jan Van Hugten; great grandfather, Raymond R. Stoner and great-grandmother Juanita M. Comstock.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 17 at the Newton Union Cemetery graveside in block 26 by the pond. Following the service, 100 pink balloons will be released over Newton in honor of Marie and others are encouraged to release them as well. In lieu of flowers, cards, and other gifts, the family asks that donations be made to McCall Monuments in Newton, to the “Marie Van Hugten Memorial Bench.” In Marie’s memory, the family would like to place a granite bench next to the Union Cemetery pond for the community’s use.

The family would like to thank Wallace Funeral Home for their graciousness and generosity in making this difficult process as easy as possible. In addition, the family asks for the community’s prayers for their daughter, Anna, who is still in the NICU with no discharge date currently scheduled.