Rebecca Adlington reveals pregnancy with third child after miscarriages
BBC sports presenter says she is cautiously overjoyed as she shares a scan and thanks NHS Rainbow Team for support
Rebecca Adlington has announced that she is pregnant with her third child, describing the news as a cautiously joyful moment after opening up about two devastating miscarriages. The BBC Sports presenter, 36, shared the pregnancy on Instagram on Tuesday, posting a black-and-white photo of a baby scan and calling the pregnancy a small miracle.
In the post, Adlington said the past 19 months of trying had been emotionally and physically challenging, but she and her husband, Andy Parsons, are hopeful and grateful for the care they are receiving from the NHS Rainbow Team. She added that while the couple is “cautiously overjoyed,” they are mindful of the quiet struggles many face and wanted to share their journey openly to support others.
The couple already share son Albie, two, with Parsons, and Adlington also has daughter Summer, eight, from her previous marriage to ex-husband Harry Needs. Fans and friends offered congratulations in the comments, with messages of love and encouragement from public figures and supporters alike.
The pregnancy news comes after Adlington spoke openly about the heartache of two miscarriages. Her first miscarriage occurred in 2022 at around 12 weeks, during which she was told she had a molar pregnancy and required emergency surgery. She later described the experience publicly, recounting the emotional toll and the physical recovery that followed.
Last year, Adlington faced a second miscarriage at around the 20-week mark. She and Parsons described the moment of giving birth to a baby who did not survive, and she candidly addressed the impact on her body and self-image in interviews, including a conversation on ITV’s This Morning. She recalled feeling anger toward her body and the difficulty of returning home after birth to face a nonviable pregnancy, despite having carried two healthy children previously.
During those conversations, the couple emphasized the importance of speaking openly about pregnancy loss. They described how they sought support through therapy and couples counseling, notably with the charity Petals, which advocates for baby loss awareness and supports families dealing with pregnancy trauma. Parsons noted that the focus in such moments often centers on the mother, but he stressed the need to acknowledge the emotional experience of partners as well.
Medical guidance and resources discussed in their discussions highlighted that molar pregnancies, while rare, can occur in about one in several hundred pregnancies and may or may not affect future fertility. The couple has used their platform to encourage others facing similar experiences to seek medical guidance and to lean on community and professional support during recovery.
Adlington’s news has resonated across the culture and entertainment landscape, drawing attention to both the private grief and the public joy that can accompany pregnancy after loss. The Olympic swimmer-turned-broadcaster has built a following not only for her athletics but for her openness about motherhood and personal health challenges, which many viewers say helps normalize conversations about miscarriage and fertility.
In her Instagram caption accompanying the scan image, Adlington acknowledged the emotional journey of trying to conceive and thanked healthcare professionals for their care. The couple’s announcement follows a recent trend of public figures using social media to share intimate life events, while also underscoring the ongoing need for awareness and resources around pregnancy loss.
As fans celebrate the prospect of a new arrival for Adlington and Parsons, the couple’s experience continues to shed light on the volatility of pregnancy, the resilience of families, and the role of support networks—from medical teams to friends and charities—that help people navigate grief and hope in equal measure.