Cliff Notes – Strictly’s Stacey Dooley tearfully reveals ectopic pregnancy requiring urgent surgery
- Stacey Dooley shared her emotional experience of an ectopic pregnancy, which required urgent surgery due to an internal rupture, during her show “Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over.”
- The TV presenter expressed her desire to expand her family with partner Kevin Clifton, reflecting on the challenges and regrets surrounding motherhood and timing.
- Dooley’s candid discussion highlights the emotional toll of fertility struggles, as she acknowledges the unpredictability of family planning and the need for alternative options.
Strictly’s Stacey Dooley tearfully reveals ectopic pregnancy requiring urgent surgery
Stacey Dooley has opened up about her struggles in having more children (Picture: Channel 4)
Stacey Dooley has bravely opened up about her devastating struggles in expanding her family with partner Kevin Clifton.
The TV presenter, 38, met Kevin, 42, on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018 when they were paired together and lifted the Glitter Ball trophy. They started dating the following year and, in January 2023, welcomed a daughter named Minnie.
Both parents have made the conscious decision not to share photos of their baby girl’s face online, since she can’t ‘consent’ due to her age, but they do sometimes treat fans to a glimpse inside their home life via social media.
Away from the bright lights of the dancefloor and huge TV cameras, however, Stacey and Kevin faced a tough time last year when they tried to have another baby.
Speaking in the latest episode of her hit series Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, the broadcaster broke down as she recalled her ectopic pregnancy.
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The episode saw Stacey spend time with Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, who was Britain’s first legally recognised gay father, who praised surrogacy for allowing him to have ‘beautiful’ children.
In the latest episode of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, she revealed she suffered an ectopic pregnancy last year (Picture: Channel 4)
Getting personal, Stacey grew incredibly tearful as she said in a solo interview: ‘I have experienced what it is like to struggle to have a child.
‘We obviously wanted to expand our family, and last year I fell pregnant and it didn’t go brilliantly.’
‘It was ectopic,’ she confirmed.
‘I am so sorry because this is so predictable. I am sat here, crying on a bed,’ she apologised.
‘It was ectopic, and it was really f***ing difficult.’
Ultimately, Stacey required urgent surgery for an ‘internal rupture’.
Stacey went public with her romance with Kevin Clifton in 2019 (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Signs of a possible ectopic pregnancy
Brown watery discharge
Vaginal bleeding
One-sided pain in the lower part of the abdomen or pelvis
Pain in the shoulder
Diarrhoea and vomiting
Dizziness
Discomfort when passing urine or pooing
Symptoms of a rupture
As explained by the NHS, a rupture can occur in some cases, which is when an ectopic pregnancy grows large enough to split open the fallopian tube. They are very serious and require surgery to repair as soon as possible.
Signs of a rupture include a combination of:
Feeling sick
A sharp, sudden and intense pain in the tummy
Feeling very dizzy or fainting
‘Of course, when you go through something like that, you are forced to think of alternatives,’ she reflected.
‘S**t happens, and if you want a bigger family, you have to think how you’re going to do that.’
As explained by the NHS, an ectopic pregnancy is when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the womb.
Should an egg get stuck in the tubes, it is unable to develop, and it can pose serious health risks.
Sadly, the pregnancy cannot be saved, and it has to be removed. It’s believed that around 1 in every 90 pregnancies in the UK is ectopic, which is 11,000 a year.
Stacey’s revelation comes after her interview with The Guardian earlier this year, in which she said: ‘I would like to have more children.
In January 2023, the couple welcomed baby girl Minnie (Picture: Instagram)
They are typically reserved when it comes to sharing photos of her face online (Picture: Instagram)
‘But it’s not a given, is it?’
When asked what boyfriend Kevin thinks of having more kids, she said he’s ‘up for it’ as well.
She also spoke about her parenting regrets, having perhaps wished she’d started having babies ‘sooner’, meaning she could’ve already had more.
‘I might have had two, or three, or four. But you have to be realistic about these things. Like, biologically,’ she reasoned.
‘I did everything I needed to in my twenties. I had an amazing decade of prioritising myself. All of that freedom. But, actually, I think I should have… I didn’t know I’d feel like this.’
Stacey went on to admit she probably owes other mums an apology, having initially thought that being a parent ‘can’t be that hard’.
‘I really used to think that, which is f***ing hilarious,’ she laughed. ‘I owe all of those women an apology.’
Sands UK charity
Sands UK is a stillbirth and neonatal death charity, which works to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that those affected by the loss of a baby receives the best possible care for as long as they need it.
The charity aims to better understand the causes of baby deaths and works with governments and other organisations to raise awareness of issues surrounding baby loss.
Sands provides bereavement support at a local and national level.
Please visit the Sands UK website for more information and contact details.
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