Singer Brian McFadden and his fiancée have suffered a ‘devastating’ miscarriage after fertility struggles and IVF
"I didn't believe the baby was gone"
Former Westlife singer Brian McFadden and his fiancée Danielle Parkinson have opened up about suffering a ‘devastating’ miscarriage in late 2019.
Brian, 40 and his PE teacher fiancée announced their engagement in December 2019 and the loved-up pair are desperate to welcome their first child together.
The couple have now shared their fertility struggles, explaining that they tried to conceive naturally for two years, before turning to IVF.
Danielle, 38 explained that she has a low egg count but still fell pregnant in her first round of IVF. Sadly, she lost the baby five-weeks into her pregnancy, leaving the couple “devastated”.
“I was about five weeks in,” Danielle tells OK! “I felt pregnant. I had a backache and some tiredness. Then I started bleeding and the symptoms disappeared. I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. A blood test in hospital confirmed I’d lost the baby.”
The former fiancé to Delta Goodrem admits he struggled to accept the tragic news at first, so he booked Danielle an appointment with a gynaecologist, who confirmed the pregnancy loss with a scan.
“It was awful. She [the gynaecologist] showed us that my womb was empty. I was in tears – I felt numb. Brian was upset too, but he was really strong for me,” said Danielle.
Brian added: “We were devastated. I didn’t believe the baby was gone… it was the worst sinking feeling ever.”
The couple are hopeful their fertility treatment plan will work but say they are open to a surrogate or adoption.
“Right now I have a feeling the IVF will work for us,” says Brian.
“We were so close that first time. If we want to get pregnant we have to be positive, I really believe that. When you have a positive mental attitude it affects your body.”
The Irish singer has two daughters, Molly, 18, and Lilly, 16, who he shares with ex-wife Kerry Katona, 39.
Brian and Kerry were married from 2002 to 2006, with the Westlife singer then marrying Vogue Williams in 2012. Their marriage lasted four years.
Brian was engaged to Australian singer Delta Goodrem before calling it quits in April 2011.