Perrie Edwards has revealed the devastating details of losing two babies, including a "horrendous" pregnancy loss at 24 weeks that she described as the "worst day of my life". The Little Mix singer from South Shields opened up about her deeply personal experiences on Paul C. Brunson's "We Need To Talk" podcast.
The 32-year-old shares three-year-old son Axel with former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. She lost her second baby in 2022, less than a year after Axel was born in August 2021.
Edwards described the traumatic moment during what should have been a routine scan. "We went for what was a 20-week scan, but we were actually 22 weeks, and that was just the worst day of my life. Like horrendous," she said. "And I just knew something was wrong in the scan, and [the doctor] just kept going over the same thing, over the same thing... I've never experienced an out-of-body experience where everything goes in slow motion."
She continued: "So then I remember sobbing. [Alex] was injured at the time and he couldn't really drive. He was struggling to drive, but I couldn't see straight. I was just distraught. And yeah, we basically lost the baby at like 24 weeks."
Early pregnancy struggles
Edwards had suffered a miscarriage during her very first pregnancy. "I had a miscarriage very early on with my first ever pregnancy, and it was so early," she explained. "I remember finding out I was pregnant. Obviously, I started bleeding not long after, and I went to the hospital and I had the scan and they were like, 'There's no baby.'"
According to the Evening Standard, Edwards attended these early pregnancy appointments alone during her first miscarriage. This makes Axel what Edwards calls a "rainbow baby" - a term for children born after pregnancy loss.
Preparing for their second child
The 24-week loss was particularly devastating because Edwards and Oxlade-Chamberlain had already begun preparing for their baby's arrival. "When you're fully, like carrying in your 24 weeks and you've planned out like that room and all these things, it's really hard," she said.
Metro reports that Edwards discovered her second pregnancy during Little Mix's final tour rehearsals. The secrecy around pregnancy loss created additional pain for the couple. "And nobody knows other than, like, immediate friends and family. And I remember, like, shortly after, like, friends would message and be like, 'how's the bump?' And I'll be like, there is no bump," Edwards recalled.
Joy with Axel
Despite her losses, Edwards described her pregnancy with Axel as one of the happiest times of her life. "When I was pregnant with [Axel], like, I loved being pregnant, it was one of the happiest times of my life. Like, I just love carrying babies. And it was lovely," she said.
She acknowledged feeling anxious about reaching pregnancy milestones. "But I was a bit on edge thinking, oh, gosh, like, I want to get past the 12 weeks. I want to get past this. And when I get past every scan and that pregnancy was complete bliss, it was perfect," Edwards explained.
The Evening Standard notes that Edwards joins other public figures in breaking the silence around miscarriage to help support other women facing similar experiences.
Support available
The Miscarriage Association offers support for those affected by pregnancy loss. They can be reached on 01924 200799 or at info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Chronicle Live", "Evening Standard", "Metro" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
