Vicky Pattison's Candid Struggle with PMDD and Motherhood Fears
Reality television personality Vicky Pattison has publicly expressed deep concerns about her potential as a mother due to her ongoing battle with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). The 38-year-old star, married to Ercan Ramadan, has been transparent about her fertility journey, including the process of freezing her eggs which began when she was 35.
The Emotional Toll of PMDD on Parenting Prospects
In a revealing interview with Heat magazine, Pattison described how PMDD creates significant obstacles to her vision of motherhood. "It's one of the things that adds to my growing apprehensions around being a mum," she confessed. "What type of parent will I be with PMDD?"
The condition affects her for seven to ten days each month, during which she experiences:
- Intense irritability and impatience
- Severe emotional dysregulation
- Debilitating exhaustion
- Dark, intrusive thoughts
- Difficulty with basic daily functioning
"You see yourself as being this fun mum who's reading stories and baking," Pattison explained, "but when I'm in the trenches of my PMDD fog, I can barely get out of bed. I can't articulate myself. I worry what type of mum that will make me - it's a very real concern."
Fertility Preservation and Medical Terminology Controversy
Pattison's fertility journey has been documented through her Channel 4 documentary Maybe Baby?, which explores various paths to parenthood. The process resulted in three frozen embryos, which she affectionately refers to as her "little frozen family."
The television personality has been vocal about her criticism of medical terminology used in fertility discussions. She particularly objected to doctors describing her eggs as "geriatric," calling the language "misogynistic" and deliberately designed to create "hysteria and fear" around women's fertility.
"I feel passionately that egg freezing should be more affordable, and we should be more open about the process," Pattison asserted. "Women deserve to have security and a backup plan."
Understanding PMDD and Its Impact
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder shares similarities with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) but presents with significantly more intense symptoms that can severely disrupt daily life. According to medical sources, PMDD symptoms may include:
- Severe anxiety and depression
- Physical discomfort including headaches and muscle pain
- Sleep disturbances and appetite changes
- Anger management difficulties
- In extreme cases, suicidal thoughts
Pattison has suffered with PMDD for years and frequently discusses how it affects her mental health, including causing periods of depression and anxiety.
Navigating Societal Expectations and Personal Choices
In a 2025 interview with Women's Health UK, Pattison admitted to having "a huge question mark over motherhood" and described the societal pressure to have children after marriage as "suffocating." She emphasized the conflict between her career achievements and the prospect of taking a break for motherhood.
"I'm a huge advocate for egg freezing, although I'm saying that from a position of financial privilege," she acknowledged. "Women shouldn't be beholden to this invisible timeline. We're fed this narrative that we can have it all and do whatever we want, but it's not necessarily true."
Pattison and her husband, who returned to television with their 2024 reality show My Big Fat Geordie Wedding, are reportedly "singing from the same song sheet" about taking more time to decide about parenthood. She has found support in her mother's perspective that "if not having children is your trajectory, that's fine."
The television personality believes society is gradually accepting that women don't need children to find fulfillment, while she continues to navigate her own path between personal health challenges, career considerations, and relationship dynamics.
