Lisa Wilkinson reveals miscarriage heartbreak while trying for fourth child

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This was published 8 years ago

Lisa Wilkinson reveals miscarriage heartbreak while trying for fourth child

By Ebony Bowden
Updated

She's known for lighting up breakfast television as the co-host of Today, but Lisa Wilkinson has revealed her personal pain while trying for a fourth child.

In an interview with blog Show and Tell, Wilkinson, 56, said she and author husband Peter FitzSimons endured a string of heartbreaking miscarriages before they decided to stop trying.

The pair have three children aged 22, 20 and 18.

"Peter and I were so lucky. We started trying and fell pregnant straight away," the television presenter and former magazine editor said.

Lisa Wilkinson speaking about her pregnancy battle.

Lisa Wilkinson speaking about her pregnancy battle.Credit: Show and Tell

"You've got to be careful when you're totally comfortable with the fact you can fall pregnant just like that.

"We're pregnant with number four and I'm thinking 'Wow, we've lucked out again. I'm so, so lucky'. We were about 11 weeks and I woke up one morning and something was very obviously wrong."

Wilkinson described the pain from miscarrying and described it as a "great secret" among women.

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"There's nothing that really prepares you for that moment when they do the scan and say 'the baby's dead'. Nothing prepares you for that.

Wilkinson with husband Peter FitzSimons and their three children.

Wilkinson with husband Peter FitzSimons and their three children.Credit: Instagram

"Because, you know, when you've been lucky enough to give birth and you meet that little person for the first time... you've seen on the scan all that lost opportunity and missed potential."

Wilkinson and FitzSimons bravely decided to try twice again before realising her "eggs were done".

"We got all the stats to make us feel better. One in four pregnancies results in miscarriage. We thought 'That's alright. That's our one in four. Let's do it again.'

"The same thing happened but this one only lasted about six weeks. We thought, 'We'll give it one last go'. Meanwhile I was starting to have conversations with girlfriends who said they'd miscarried as well and hadn't talked about it.

"It seems to be the great secret that so many women carry.

"After three [miscarriages] in a row, that's when you turn around and think I'm so lucky. I've got so many girlfriends who'd had real fertility issues.

"Obviously my eggs were done and if you're lucky enough to have even one healthy child, you think 'I've won the lottery. I'm not going to push this anymore'."

Wilkinson has become a champion for women during her time on Today, delivering scathing editorials on domestic violence as well as receiving an on-air mammogram.

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