Lauryn Goodman: ‘My periods are so painful I can’t even carry my baby’

When she welcomed her son Kairo in 2020, Lauryn Goodman described him as her “miracle baby” after previously being told it would be near impossible for her to conceive a child naturally due to her having complications with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

But while she feels blessed to have her toddler, the agonising symptoms of the endometriosis have returned and the star admits the pain often reduces her to tears and leaves her unable to pick up her son.

Lauryn, 30, was diagnosed with the condition – where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes – six years ago, but when she fell unexpectedly pregnant, her symptoms, which included agonising abdominal pain and 12-day periods, disappeared.

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And now, following the birth of Kairo – who she shares with her ex, Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker – the symptoms have returned much worse than before.

“The only way I can describe the pain is that it’s similar to labour and severe contractions,” Lauryn explains, her voice filled with emotion. “My periods can last up to 12 days and they’re so draining. I regularly break down in tears with the pain and all I want to do is curl up in a ball with my hot water bottle. Your body tells you to sleep, but with a little one depending on you, you can’t always do that.”

Lauryn – whose sister is Celebrity Big Brother star Chloe Goodman – says the biggest struggle has been coping with the pain alongside being a single mum to her 18-month-old toddler.

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She says, “When I have flare-ups, I struggle to even lift Kairo. I feel so tired, but I want to give all my energy to my son. Kairo is one active little boy and he’s hard to keep up with at the best of times, let alone when I’m in crippling pain. I get ‘mum guilt’ because, during those times, I’m not even able to do the basics for my baby – it’s heartbreaking.”

It took Lauryn over 10 years to be formally diagnosed with endometriosis after struggling with very painful periods since the age of 14. Following a private laparoscopy six years ago [a procedure where a thin tube is passed through a small cut in your tummy to look for patches of endometriosis tissue] she had an operation to remove the endometriosis tissue, but when it grew back she had a second laparoscopy just a year later, after which the surgeon put her into a medically-induced menopause.

She says, “This was done via a zoladex implant every month alongside daily tablets. This stopped my periods and put my body into a menopause state with no ovulation, curing the pain short term. However, you are not advised to be on this long term and I was advised three to six months. I took the full six months.” She was told that as a result she’d need IVF to conceive and was later referred.

“I had every menopause symptom going, I was impatient and short tempered, I had hot and cold sweats. I was told I wouldn’t be able to have children ‘naturally’ and had accepted IVF was my only option.”

But against the odds, Lauryn fell pregnant naturally shortly after – during a brief relationship with Kyle. She said at the time that she was in a “complete state of disbelief” when her pregnancy was picked up during a routine scan.

Now the endometriosis pain is back, Lauryn has been re-referred to a specialist for further treatment.

She says, “I’m waiting to see my surgeon, but I think I’ll need another laparoscopy to see what stage the endometriosis is at right now. A hysterectomy is always an option, but that’s not something I’d want to explore at the moment, though many women do. I just can’t imagine it. It takes away the choice of being able to have further children. As much as I am set with Kairo, if I met someone and they didn’t have children, it might be something I would consider. It’s a very big decision to make and I’d prefer to explore other options for now as I am still young.”

And although Lauryn hasn’t spoken to the consultant about her fertility, she has – for now – ruled out having any more children.

“I couldn’t be happier with Kairo – he’s very intelligent, boisterous and likes to make people laugh. He calls our sausage dog ‘good girl’ and so every dog he sees is now ‘good girl’. He’s just so special to me!”

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How you can get help

One in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK has endometriosis, yet the average time between onset of symptoms and formal diagnosis is eight years. The cause of the condition is unknown and there is no definite cure. It can affect women of any age. Symptoms vary but can include pain in the lower tummy or back, which can become debilitating during your period, pain during or after sex and/or when going to the toilet during menstruation, nausea, constipation or diarrhoea and finding blood in your urine during your period. It can make getting pregnant more difficult and the symptoms and pain can lead to fatigue and depression.

If you think you have endometriosis, make an appointment to see your GP. Endometriosis UK has a pain and symptoms tracker on its website, which you may find helpful to take along with you. Your GP may refer you to a gynaecologist who may want to perform a laparoscopy to give you a diagnosis. Treatment involves painkillers, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol, hormone medication, surgery to cut away the patches of endometriosis tissue or, in some cases, an operation to remove part or all of the organs affected – such as a hysterectomy.

For more information and support, visit Endometriosis UK.

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