Double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington has spoken of her devastation after suffering a miscarriage, discovered during a hospital visit for her 12-week scan. The 33-year-old swimmer told her Instagram followers she needed emergency surgery afterwards and treatment for sepsis.
Adlington, a mother-of-two, said she and her husband, Andy Parsons, went to hospital for a scan on Tuesday, only to discover she had miscarried and needed 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,' she wrote.
She praised hospital staff and described her husband as her rock, adding: 'We haven't managed to process it all yet but I know with their support we'll get through it.' Adlington said she was extremely grateful that she could give her two children a hug once she was able to leave hospital.
There are about 250,000 miscarriages in the UK each year, with most occurring in the first three months of pregnancy, according to research by pregnancy charity Tommy's. In recent years, a number of high-profile women have spoken about their own painful experiences of miscarriage, including Britney Spears and the Duchess of Sussex.
Adlington, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, became a household name after winning gold in the 400m and 800m freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was appointed an OBE in 2009 and has worked as a BBC commentator during major swimming events.
