Lady Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, is one of the cast members on Ladies of London: The New Reign. The British socialite, who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, 8th Marquess of Bath, has been giving Bravo viewers insight into her life on the show.
Emma and Ceawlin are parents to children John Alexander Ladi Thynn, born in October 2014, and Henry Richard Isaac Thynn, born in December 2016. When Emma was pregnant with their first child, she suffered a life-threatening pregnancy scare and has been open about her health issues.
Scroll down to learn more about what happened to Emma and how it affected the future of her family planning.
What happened to Emma Thynn while she was pregnant?
While Emma was pregnant with John, she suffered a brain bleed that was life-threatening. She had to undergo an emergency C-section to safely deliver her baby.
The issues began with headaches during the pregnancy. “I went to the doctors who tested blood pressure to check everything was OK. They put it down to hormones and sent me home with pain killers,” Emma shared on Loose Women, per Daily Mail.
However, the pain from the headaches got “so severe” that Emma couldn’t leave bed and started having trouble breathing. Doctors eventually discovered that Emma’s pituitary gland, which is located in the brain, had become swollen and started bleeding.
“They sped into action to deliver the baby as soon as possible without him needing extra medical care,” Emma explained. “And trying to scramble as much as they could to reduce the inflammation in my body.” She described the experience as “frightening” and said she still gets emotional talking about it.
What was Emma Thynn diagnosed with?
Emma’s official diagnosis was hypophysitis, which is a rare inflammatory condition affecting the pituitary gland, according to the Barrow Neurological Institute.
“The inflammation can cause the pituitary gland to enlarge and potentially compress nearby structures like the optic nerves,” per the website.
Why did Emma Thynn use a surrogate?
Because of her diagnosis, Emma was considered high risk for another pregnancy and doctors advised her not to carry a second child. She and her husband opted to pursue surrogacy instead and welcomed Henry via gestational surrogate.
“I had friends who had done it and it is actually quite a common thing to do and I am so lucky and very grateful we could go down that route, and now we have our baby boy, Henry,” she shared, adding that she used an American surrogacy agency to bring Henry into the world.
However, Emma admitted that it was a “massive decision” to use a surrogate. While speaking at a wellness event for British Vogue, she added, “I felt guilty and I felt confused. And it was the sharing with other women who have done the same thing for such diverse reasons that helped me arrive at that decision.”
She and Ceawlin were the first couple in the British aristocracy to openly use a surrogate.
How is Emma Thynn’s health now?
Emma is doing OK now, but she is constantly monitoring her health to make sure that stays the case. “I have MRI scans quite frequently to make sure I’m all good,” she said on Loose Women. “My responsibility is for them. I need to make sure I try and stay well for my family.”
Ladies of London: The New Reign, Season 1, Thursdays, 9/8c, Bravo