Babies are blessings. News that a couple is about to bring a life into the world is joyous and celebrated. While many mothers may worry about being ready to be a parent, few people are very concerned about surviving a pregnancy.

Alison Holmgren was a 38-year-old Ohio State Trooper. She was a tough, yet fair, trooper who loved her job. She was also a loving wife and mother to a young child. When she found out she was pregnant with her second child, she was overjoyed.

Earlier this month, Holmgren went into labor - she did not survive.

"I can't even imagine. There's really no words for what a family is going to endure when an event like this happens," Dr. Anthony DeSalvo, an Ohio obstetrician who did not treat Holmgren, said. "The reality is women will still die in labor from hemorrhage."

Holmgren's pregnancy was seemingly routine and she didn't have a prior medical condition. She was fit and healthy, but the rigors of pregnancy still took their toll.

Although natural and commonplace, pregnancy is still a massive bodily change and deliveries can be dangerous. Even with modern medicine it's estimated that 700 American women die every year from pregnancy-related complications.

Proper natal care can help limit the risks, but there will always be risk. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) monitors maternal mortality and routinely supports state medical efforts to improve the health of mothers. Proper care is vital, as the CDC estimates that 70% of deaths related to pregnancy could have been prevented.

"It's definitely a startling number for families that are involved with it," DeSalvo said. "It's one of those things you're probably not aware of until it happens to somebody you know of."

Holmgren's daughter survived and suffered no medical issues from the delivery. The trooper will be survived by her husband Tim and her two children.