Britain’s 5-time Olympic gold medallist Laura Kenny shares why she almost quit cycling after her traumatic miscarriage. What’s even more tragic about her condition was that her pregnancy turned out to be ectopic.
The athlete suffered from a miscarriage in 2021. To recover, she needed to remove one of her fallopian tubes due to that experience.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Laura Kenny Suffered From a Miscarriage and Ectopic Pregnancy
- The Olympic Gold Medallist Almost Quit Cycling
- Few Things You Should Know About Ectopic Pregnancy
Laura Kenny Suffered From a Miscarriage and Ectopic Pregnancy
Due to her ectopic pregnancy, Laura Kenny suffered from a miscarriage. She needed to remove one of her fallopian tubes to save her life due to the risks that came with her type of pregnancy.
Overall, Laura Kenny was able to win six Olympic medals. She has been part of the British team that won silver in women’s pursuit at the Nations Cup.
How the Athlete Shared Her Heartbreaking Experience
“Jason and I fell pregnant immediately after the Games, and we were absolutely chuffed to bits,” said the athlete.
Laura Kenny revealed the heartbreaking news on her Instagram account. While celebrating her wins, she eventually shared that she lost her baby.
Before her miscarriage, Laura Kenny also learned that her pregnancy was ectopic. Amidst this heartbreak, she received immense love and support from her husband.
Laura Kenny is the wife of the 9-time Olympic medallist Jason Kenny. Together, the athlete couple has a son named Albie.
In her emotional post, she said that her life over the past six months would never be easy without the support of her family.
“I’ve never felt so lost and sad. It felt like a part of me had been torn away,” she stated.
Shortly after, Laura Kenny said she found herself back in her happy place, training again. However, in mid-January, she tested positive for COVID-19.
She felt unwell and did not experience typical Covid-19 symptoms during that time. She then decided to go to the hospital and found that she was having an ectopic pregnancy.
“Scared doesn’t even come close,” said Laura Kenny. “I lost a fallopian tube that day.”
She has always been grateful for the support she was getting from her family, especially from Jason and Albie. Despite all the challenges, she was able to conquer life’s challenges.
The Olympic Gold Medallist Almost Quit Cycling
The Olympic gold medallist detailed her traumatic experience following her miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Her devastating condition took an immense toll on her mental health.
At the beginning of this year, the Olympic gold medallist had thought of quitting cycling. It was primarily because of the traumatic miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy that she experienced.
According to her, she had miscarried at 9 weeks and had a fallopian tube removed in January due to ectopic pregnancy.
“I felt like nothing was going our way at all,” Laura Kenny said.
She and her husband shared the heartbreak but he found more strength to help her. When she felt reached her “breaking point,” Sir Jason Kenney stood by her. He especially helped her cope with her miscarriage.
After some time, she decided to grab her safety blanket and thought that she needed to ride her bike again. She remembers that cycling for the past 13 years of her life feels like a safe place.
“It put lots of things into perspective,” she said. “It really did make me think, ‘why am I doing this?’ it’s because I enjoy it, that’s why, and it made me realise that more than ever.”
Laura Kenny decided to continue her journey as an athlete. She represents England in the team pursuit, scratch race and points race at the Commonwealth Games.
Few Things You Should Know About Ectopic Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy, also known as tubal pregnancy, occurs outside the womb. It happens when a fertilised egg implants and grows outside the main cavity of the uterus.
In most cases, it often occurs in a fallopian tube, which carries eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. Inside one of the fallopian tubes is the most common location for an ectopic pregnancy.
Image Source: iStock
Causes of an Ectopic Pregnancy
At present, the exact cause of an ectopic pregnancy remains unknown. However, some conditions have been associated with ectopic pregnancy in some cases. Here are those:
- Fallopian tube inflammation and scarring caused by a previous medical illness, infection, or surgery.
- Hormonal influences
- Genetic disorders
- Birth problems
- Medical problems impact the structure and condition of the fallopian tubes and reproductive organs.
Signs and Symptoms of an Ectopic Pregnancy
Here are the common symptoms of ectopic pregnancies:
- Abrupt waves of abdominal, pelvic, shoulder, or neck pain
- Experiencing specific pain on only one side of the abdomen
- Mild to severe vaginal spotting or bleeding
- Dizziness or fainting
- Recurrent rectal pressure
Vaginal bleeding and abdominal or pelvic pain are the most common symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms during pregnancy.