Former X Factor contestant Cher Lloyd has revealed to her thousands of fans that she's been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Taking to Instagram to share the concerning news, the 30 year old singer – who first shot to fame on the ITV talent series in 2010 – admitted the diagnosis left her in floods of tears, terrifying her about the future.
"I got the call last week to tell me I had gestational diabetes," she wrote on an Instagram picture of a device used to assess the risk of diabetes. "I burst into tears. I felt scared, confused and instantly blamed myself.
"I’ve spent most of my time researching gestational diabetes and trying to find recipes and ways to control it. I’m still getting used to the changes and how this might affect the rest of my pregnancy."
The Want U Back vocallist – who is currently expecting her second child with husband Craig Monk – added: "I just wanted to reach out to any fellow gestational diabetes mamas out there sharing advise, stories and suggestions. Sending love."
The form of diabetes that the mother-of-one – who is already parent to five year old daughter – Delilah-Rae – has been diagnosed with develops during pregnancy.
Though the NHS explains that the condition can activate during any stage of the pregnancy, it usually happens in the second or third trimester, and commonly goes away once the mum-to-be gives birth to their bundle of joy.
Gestational diabetes develops when the mother's body cannot produce enough insulin to meet the extra needs of carrying a little one, with insulin being a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels.
Though the condition can cause problems for mother and baby during pregnancy and after birth, the risks can be hugely reduced if it is detected early enough in the pregnancy.
It also needs to be well managed by the mother and by medical professionals.
And the star's 2.7 million Instagram followers were quick to send their love and well wishes to her, with many letting her know their own experiences and recoveries of the condition.
"Don’t be upset," one fan implored. "It’s very common and it’s nothing you have done wrong – it’s just how your body has reacted to pregnancy and should go back to normal afterwards.
"My baby was absolutely fine and average weight after they kept saying he would likely be born big."
Another advised the mum-of-two-to-be: "Don't panic, be mindful of your diet but not so much that you need to cut out too much, your body still needs carbohydrates, and remember it's not your fault!
"I was diagnosed a few weeks ago myself, and the biggest help has been knowing this is not something you did wrong, and it is manageable!"
Earlier in July, Cher – who last week celebrated her 30th birthday with a milestone day out in London – opened up on further health concerns during her pregnancy, revealing she's had a "struggle to get up", during her third trimester.
Sharing a photo of her baby bump as she relaxed on the couch and flashed a smile at the camera, the Swagger Jagger singer captioned the image: "Officially at that stage of pregnancy where it's a struggle to get up after laying down #thirdtrimester."
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