Rebecca Adlington has spoken up about her heartbreaking miscarriage, admitting that she felt “very guilty” for her loss.
The Olympic swimmer, 34, announced last year that she experienced a miscarriage while pregnant with her third kid.
The gold medalist revealed the circumstances of her loss on her Instagram page, as well as her subsequent health problems with sepsis and a kidney illness.
She told her followers: ‘On Tuesday me and Andy went to hospital for our 12 week scan only to discover we’ve had a miscarriage which resulted in emergency surgery.
‘I managed to leave hospital Thursday only to be readmitted Friday. After a day of treating sepsis, a kidney infection, and a fever I’m slowly on the mend. Long way to go but I’m in the right place.’
Almost one year since the post, Rebecca has spoken about her feelings around the miscarriage and how she felt ‘responsible’ despite knowing that there was ‘nothing she could have done.’
‘Because I’d had two children without any problems, a miscarriage never crossed my mind. I realise this might sound naïve, but I expected some signs,’ she told The Mirror.
‘I felt really responsible for the miscarriage, even though it wasn’t my fault. I remember speaking to the doctors and they said there was nothing I could have done to prevent what happened.’
The athlete also revealed that she does not want to put herself under any pressure to have more children since she fears her ongoing battle with polycystic ovarian syndrome would harm her chances of getting pregnant.
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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder in which the ovaries generate an inordinate quantity of androgens and can result in cysts on the ovaries.
According to the NHS, it is one of the most common causes of infertility in females.
‘It’s not easy to get pregnant,’ Rebecca continued. ‘I just don’t want to put loads of pressure on it or have any expectations. Especially when people start asking every single month, “Are you pregnant?” I don’t want to deal with that while working full-time and having two kids.’
She concluded: ‘If it happens, it happens. If not, it’s not meant to be.’
Summer, eight, is from her former marriage to swimmer Harry Needs, and Albie, two, is from her marriage to Andy Parsons.
Pregnancy loss helpline
For emotional support, you can contact Miscarriage Association’s pregnancy loss helpline on 01924 200799 or email info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.