TOWIE's Gemma Collins 'desperate to lose weight' amid plans for children

Ex-The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma Collins has revealed she is desperate to lose weight as she considers having children. The former TOWIE star, 43, opened up on her fertility struggles after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

She has now admitted she wants to be the "best version of herself" if she has children. While there is no cure for the condition, it is said that most women who suffer from PCOS can get pregnant, with the help of medical treatment.

Gemma has recently claimed she tackled her PCOS head-on after working closely with a dietician and following their advice. She has dropped from a size 26 to 20 and is now looking ahead at starting a family with fiancé Rami Hawash. "I don't want to be an overweight mum," Gemma said of her plans. "Nothing against overweight mums at all, but I want to run and play with my kid.", The Mirror reports.

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"I want to have as much energy for my child as possible and to be the best version of myself for my child," she told Ok! Magazine. According to the NHS, polycystic ovary syndrome is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work. The main features of PCOS are irregular periods, excess androgen and polycystic ovaries.

She was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 28 and found a glimmer of hope thanks to her dietary changes, and her dietician Steve Bennett is confident that this new approach will be life-altering for her. He revealed: "With PCOS, the number one cause is a dysregulation of sugar and putting fibre first helps Gemma to regulate the sugar intake and therefore that would be the logical step to removing PCOS."

Speaking to MailOnline, Gemma said: "Since working with Steve, he has reversed my PCOS. I no longer have it, so I'm a step closer to having a baby. "Engaged to Rami, Gemma is buzzing with hope for the future, especially when it comes to starting a family. Having faced the heartache of three miscarriages in the past, the star opened up about her renewed optimism, telling the outlet: "I went to a fertility clinic and obviously, I was going to start my fertility journey in September but I'm not sure I need to do fertility now because hopefully I can do it naturally, plus my thyroid is doing better - I have no under-active thyroid anymore."

Gemma previously shared how she suffered three miscarriages and encountered her first loss in 2012 but only bravely spoke out about it in 2020. At the time, Gemma had no idea she was pregnant and miscarried at home. "I actually gave birth to a child, sadly, and basically the child was four months old, basically I had a miscarriage but obviously the baby was formed and it died in front of me", she said on the Everything I Know About Me podcast. She added: "That was really a shocking moment for me. But this is what I'm saying, I can talk about it now. Things sometimes are not meant to be."

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Miscarriage Association. You can call them on 01924 200799 or email info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk.