Strictly Come Dancing star Gemma Atkinson has opened up about the terrifying time she was rushed to hospital. The heavily pregnant star, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Gorka Marquez, revealed that she had been diagnosed with a kidney infection. And it wasn't her first. She wrote on Instagram: "Today's post is the glamorous subject of kidney infections! Yes, I'm going there. I've had 3 so far during pregnancy and this morning I was diagnosed with my 4th."
She continued: "The first two I knew nothing about, the third one floored me and I actually ended up in A&E with it back in early April. Apparently some woman are just prone to them (I'm clearly not a doctor but I was told it's because our uterus is so close to the bladder. It apparently sits directly on top of it and the increased weight can block the drainage of urine causing an infection) The joys!"
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Gemma, 34, revealed that she started feeling feverish with "aches, cold sweats and nausea" as well as back ache. She admitted that she felt embarrassed about going to the doctors, but that luckily she recognised her symptoms from last time and her infection is now being treated.
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"There's lots of changes happening in our bodies when pregnant and it's always better to have a check-up, for peace of mind if nothing else," Gemma concluded, before joking: "The NHS have been wonderful in looking after me but in the nicest way possible I don't want to see any of them again until I'm due to deliver."
© Photo: Getty ImagesGemma and Gorka are expecting their first baby
The former Emmerdale actress is due to give birth this summer. She announced her pregnancy in February, but has not revealed whether she's having a boy or a girl. Last month, she gave fans a glimpse at her latest ultrasound scan, showing how the baby already appears to have a similar profile to Gorka.
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"Still in my tummy kicking away. Making me knackered and giving me way more cellulite than usual but already has the exact same nose and mouth as their dad @gorka_marquez. How is this fair???" Gemma wrote. Her use of the word "their" prompted some of her followers to question whether she is expecting more than one baby, with one commenting: "Their?...Twins?" However, others noted Gemma may have just been avoiding revealing the baby's gender.
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