Rebecca Adlington's husband left 'crying on train' as he reveals impact of miscarriages

Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Andy Parsons, the husband of former Olympic swimming star Rebecca Adlington, has opened up for the first time about the devastating miscarriages his wife suffered
Swimmer Rebecca Adlington' s husband has spoken of the impact her devastating miscarriages had on them both. Andy Parsons has spoken for the first time about the effect the loss of their unborn babies had on him and how the trauma left him in tears on a train. The Olympian suffered a miscarriage at 12 weeks in 2022, with her ordeal requiring emergency surgery and treatment for sepsis.
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Revealing that she was 'slowly on the mend' in an Instagram post that praised medical staff who had cared for her, Rebecca told followers: "It's such a devastating time, but important in times like these we remember we aren't alone and have so much support".
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But tragically, in October 2023, the swimmer shared that she had lost her baby daughter Harper at 20 weeks pregnant, stating that she was 'truly heartbroken'. Andy, 35, has now opened up about the impact of the loss and how the pair have tried to move forward.
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He revealed to Sunday Times: "I told myself I was OK but inside I was really struggling. Instantly you just sink. I was so gutted but I wasn't bothered about my feelings - as a guy, you've got the easy job: the stress is all on the woman, so I was instantly into protection mode, just being there straight away for Becky.
Heartbreakingly, he went on to tell the publication: "I told myself I was OK, but inside I was really struggling. I would just sit there on the train every morning, crying the whole way - I think we often don't know how to react and so we go into our shells."
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The couple, who met on a dating app, share four-year-old son Albie. Andy is step-father to Rebecca's daughter,r Summer, 10, from a previous marriage. The pair have undertaken counselling to deal with the most difficult chapter in their lives.
In an interview given to the Mirror in February 2024, Rebecca admitted that it had been tough 'physically and emotionally'. Offering insight into how her young family was coping, she said: "We'll never fully get over what happened, but Harper will always be part of our family.
"Even my two-year-old, Albie, tells people, 'My sisters are Harper and Summer'. Her ashes are now in the house. We talk about her, she'll always be part of our lives. I think you learn to find a way forward and to talk about her, without bursting into tears."
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It was only in October last year that Rebecca was finally diagnosed with the chronic autoimmune condition that causes the body to react to gluten in the diet. The four-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer describes it as 'life-changing' after years of upset.
"As I have had multiple pregnancies, I put a lot of symptoms down to hormonal changes,' she explains. 'I suffered with stomach pain, fatigue, mouth ulcers, bloating, and constantly felt run down or ill. The tiredness affected both my personal and professional life as I didn't feel as productive or have enough energy like other people.
'Meanwhile, the mouth ulcers affected my diet as I struggled to eat sometimes ,as they were so painful and so many. The stomach pain was persistent. I also experienced two miscarriages and whilst my doctor couldn't pinpoint the cause, this and my stomach pain ultimately led to me being tested for coeliac disease and subsequently diagnosed.'
She added: 'If you are experiencing ongoing symptoms or issues like I had, just ask the doctor for a test. I never even thought I might have coeliac disease but I wish I had asked my doctors to test me sooner.'