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Lauren was diagnosed with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at the age of 14. PCOS is a condition that causes small cysts to form in the ovaries and can make pregnancy harder.

But at the age of 31 she gave birth to her baby daughter. She told 5 Live Drive's Clare McDonnell that it’s been ‘everything I could have imagined and more.’

The main features of PCOS are:

- Irregular periods
- High levels of "male" hormones in your body
- Enlarged ovaries that contain fluid-filled sacs that surround the eggs

PCOS is believed to affect 1 in 10 women and 1 in 4 ethnically diverse women - something Lauren has been acutely aware of all her life.

She was 14 when she was told that it would be hard for her to become pregnant: "I describe it as a dark cloud over my life because it really has been for me.

"I knew from a very young age that what I wanted more than anything in the world was to be a mum, so getting that news at that age just, it killed me."

In later life, she went back to school to study nutritional health and now leads a life that focuses on homeopathy. She’s also a backing vocalist for Rick Astley.

This clip was originally from 5 Live Drive on 4 September 2023.

Listen back on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sounds.

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