Collins said she was told ‘something’s not right’ about the pregnancy.
Gemma Collins, the 43-year-old reality television star known for her appearances on The Only Way is Essex and Celebrity Big Brother, has shared a personal story about a difficult decision she faced in her early twenties. In a discussion on the Everything I Know About Me podcast, Collins revealed that she once had to terminate a pregnancy following medical advice.
The television personality, who has been open about her struggles with fertility and her desire to become a mother, recounted a particularly challenging period from her younger years. The TOWIE star, currently engaged to Rami Hawash, explained that she became pregnant in her early twenties, at a time when her personal life was already in turmoil.
According to Collins, the situation was complicated by her relationship status at the time. She shared that the father of the baby, an unnamed boyfriend, was not enthusiastic about having children. To compound matters, Collins discovered that her partner was allegedly involved in an extramarital affair, leading to the breakdown of their relationship. She reflected on the emotional toll of these circumstances, stating, “It was a lot to deal with at that age.”
However, the most challenging aspect of this experience was yet to come. During a routine medical check-up, Collins received unexpected news about her pregnancy. She recounted the doctor’s words: “When I went to the doctor’s they said to me, ‘Something’s not right.'” The medical professionals then informed her that the unborn baby might be intersex.
Collins admitted that she was unfamiliar with the term at the time, saying, “I had never been taught about hermaphrodites – didn’t know what they were! Didn’t know they existed! So that was a real shock.” The term “hermaphrodite” is now considered outdated, with “intersex” being the preferred terminology.
Collins further stated, “You can imagine I didn’t know what the word was. I had to look it up. I’d never been taught about [being intersex]. So that was a real shock.”
Intersex is a condition where individuals are born with both male and female physical traits. According to a 2021 study by the University of Manchester, approximately 1.7% of the global population is intersex, making it as common as being a twin, reported The Independent. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 5.6 million people are intersex.
Following this diagnosis, Collins’ doctors advised her to terminate the pregnancy. She recalled their advice: “They said to me ‘Your baby, could be, from looking at it, a hermaphrodite. You need to have a termination because this baby’s not gonna be right.'” Collins described the situation as “very sad” but ultimately concluded it was “just not meant to be.”
Collins has had struggles with fertility and pregnancy. She has previously disclosed that she suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition known to affect fertility. In 2020, Collins shared that she had experienced a miscarriage years earlier, unaware at the time that she had been pregnant, per Evoke.
The reality star has also spoken about additional pregnancy losses. In an emotional recollection, Collins shared, “In a single instant, I learned that I’d been carrying a baby and lost it, meaning that once again I found my longstanding dreams of motherhood shattered into pieces.” She revealed that she endured second and third miscarriages in 2020.
The NHS describes intersex, or ‘differences in sex development’ (DSD), as “a group of rare conditions involving genes, hormones and reproductive organs, including genitals. It means a person’s sex development is different to most other people’s.” The health service also notes that many types of DSD do not require medical treatment beyond understanding the child’s development and having appropriate expectations as they mature.
