*Trigger warning: This article mentions miscarriage and baby loss.*
Sam Aston, who is best known for playing Chesney Brown in Coronation Street, has announced that he and his wife Briony are expecting their third child together.
However, while the parents shared the happy news of their pregnancy, it is bittersweet as Briony was originally carrying twins.
One of the babies was lost due to a rare condition known as ‘Vanishing Twin Syndrome’.
Vanishing twin syndrome is a type of miscarriage that can occur during multiple pregnancies (births involving twins or triplets).
The embryo stops developing, and its tissue gets absorbed by the mother or gestational parent, and the surviving embryo(s).
The signs of Vanishing Twin Syndrome are similar to symptoms that are common during the first trimester of pregnancy.
This can mean that the miscarriage of one of the embryos can sometimes go undetected.
While the absorption process is said to be harmless, there can be emotional impacts for expectant parents.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, she opened up about her experience. She said she is grateful, but that losing one twin has presently affected her.
“We could have had two… Will the living twin always wonder, ‘What if? And will they feel lonely?’ We found ourselves questioning what could have been while feeling grateful for what we’ve got.”
The couple already share two children together; Sonny, 3, and 18-month-old Daisy.
While Sam and Briony are overjoyed to welcome their baby into the world, they are heartbroken about the loss, having also gone through two previous miscarriages within four months of each other.
Briony has been raw and honest about losing two pregnancies before the 12-week mark and how the support of others has made all the difference in coping with it.
“Thank you to all the women before me who have shared their stories and talked about their babies, it makes processing this a lot easier, and I don’t feel alone at all,” she said.
The parents also opened up about their pregnancy losses on Loose Women, with Briony explaining why she felt it was important to be so open about it, as well as the strength she drew from others who experienced the same after she bravely opened up.
“It would have been so much harder for me without listening to other peoples stories,’ she said.
“I had hundreds and hundreds of messages to share their similar experiences. I felt very pleased that I had done it. There is support there and it helped me knowing that I wasn’t alone.”
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