Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has announced she is expecting a child, describing the pregnancy as a 'miracle' after suffering two tragic miscarriages. The 36-year-old took to social media to share the news, revealing the emotional and physical challenges she has faced over the past 19 months.
Adlington, who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, previously spoke about the heartbreak of losing her baby girl Harper in 2023 when she was five months pregnant. She also suffered a miscarriage in 2022 during a routine 12-week scan. The swimmer said she wanted to be open about her journey to support others facing similar struggles.
In her post, Adlington expressed gratitude for the care she is receiving from the NHS Rainbow Team and said she and her partner are taking each day as it comes. She added: 'While we are cautiously overjoyed, we carry awareness of the quiet struggles many face, and we send love to those hearts too.'
Adlington, who already has a daughter born in 2015 and a son born in 2021, described the experience of giving birth to Harper as incredibly difficult. She said she was glad she chose to see her daughter, as it helped her process the loss and avoid regret.
The swimmer encouraged others affected by miscarriage to seek support, noting that the Miscarriage Association offers advice and counselling.
