Ipswich woman vows to raise awareness of ectopic pregnancy
A woman who has had two ectopic pregnancies has spoken of her “heartbreak” that she is unable to have children.
Jayne Oakley, from Ipswich, suffered her first ectopic pregnancy at eight weeks’ gestation, and a second at 11 weeks.
She wants to raise awareness for other parents facing the same situation.
“People say to me ‘you’re lucky not to have children’ – well actually I’m not,” she said.
Before her first ectopic pregnancy in 2013, Ms Oakley says she had not heard of the condition before.
In an interview with Radio Suffolk, the care support assistant said the symptoms were similar to that of a miscarriage.
After falling ill at work, her second ectopic pregnancy resulted in the removal of her remaining fallopian tube.
“It’s very heartbreaking to be told now I can’t have my own children, it’s really hard… people say to me ‘you’re lucky not to have children’ well actually I’m not because I’d love to be a mum,” she said.
Ectopic pregnancy occurs when an egg becomes implanted outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube. It affects one in 80 pregnancies.
Ms Oakley said: “Everybody obviously deals with it in their own way and there are all different types of ectopic pregnancy.
“It doesn’t always fall in the tube and some people are lucky they can keep their tube… and you can try again to have another baby.”
Throughout August, she is taking part in the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust “1 in 80 challenge” fundraiser.
The group, she said, “gives me that strength and that oomph to just keep going because ectopic pregnancy can kill you as well… I try to live life to the fullest”.
