Endometriosis Battle: Miracle Baby After Decades of Pain

For twenty years, Morning Live presenter Michelle Ackerley lived with the debilitating pain of endometriosis, a condition that significantly impacted her ability to conceive. She candidly shared that early conversations focused on potential infertility, leading her to imagine a life without children. Despite experiencing severe pain throughout her adulthood, including during her early career at the BBC, her mother's encouragement led to testing.

Nearly a decade into her relationship with husband Ben, the couple faced frank discussions about conceiving. A December 2024 health check revealed very low Anti-Müllerian Hormone levels, offering little hope for natural conception or IVF. Thus, discovering she was pregnant on Valentine's Day 2025 felt like a miracle against all odds.

The pregnancy was a challenging rollercoaster of emotions and physical discomfort. Michelle experienced severe morning sickness, which she managed while filming shows in Salford and Cardiff. This was followed by intense migraines requiring MRI scans and neurological consultation.

In her third trimester, a frightening episode of dizziness and vomiting led to an emergency hospital admission in London. Diagnosed with Labyrinthitis, an inner ear infection, she and her baby, Nala, were thankfully unharmed. Nala was born weeks later via C-section.

Now four months postpartum, Michelle embraces her changing body and champions This Girl Can's 'We Like the Way You Move' campaign. She encourages new mothers to find small, ten-minute windows for activity, integrating movement into daily routines like squatting while brushing teeth or walking with the pram. She is preparing to return to television part-time, aiming to inspire her daughter through her career.