Aston Villa Star Kearns Opens Up About Harrowing Hospital Ordeal Following Miscarriage and Sepsis

England International Describes 'Four Days of Hell' After Pregnancy Loss and Life-Threatening Infection

England international Missy Bo Kearns has revealed the traumatic experience of losing her baby and battling sepsis, describing her hospital stay as "four days of hell." The Aston Villa midfielder and her partner Liam Walsh, a Luton player, announced their pregnancy on 1 March, but the pregnancy ended in miscarriage later that month.

The Emergency That Changed Everything

In an interview with ITV News, Kearns recounted the moment she fell ill at Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground on 18 March. After feeling unwell, she consulted club sports doctor Jodie Blackadder-Weinstein, whose intervention proved critical.

"It was one of the biggest shocks of my life," Kearns explained. "I thought it was just a pregnancy symptom, and the doctor came in and checked my temperature... I was 42 degrees, but I was shaking."

Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors delivered devastating news: she had lost the baby and contracted sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the immune system's response to infection causes tissue and organ damage.

"My whole life just changed like that," Kearns said, noting that she had been exercising just an hour before becoming ill.

A Life-Saving Decision

Kearns expressed profound gratitude to Dr Blackadder-Weinstein for insisting she seek immediate hospital care. Without this intervention, the outcome could have been far different.

"If I was at home that day, I probably would have rung my mum saying, 'Oh, I feel a bit like flu-ish symptoms', but Jodie made me go to the hospital. They probably saved my life because I had sepsis."

The midfielder emphasized that she was initially reluctant to go to hospital, but the medical team's quick action proved essential. "While having that, I wasn't even thinking about the sepsis. It was: I've lost my child," she reflected.

Processing Grief and Moving Forward

Although Kearns has begun visiting Villa's training ground and working on fitness, she acknowledged the ongoing emotional toll. "I wouldn't say I'm fully coping," she stated. "There's days like today where I feel good... But yesterday, I was upset all day... it just comes and goes in waves."

The 24-year-old emphasized the importance of not "suffering in silence" and highlighted Tommy's, the UK's largest pregnancy and baby loss charity, as a vital support resource.

World Cup Dreams Remain Intact

Having begun her career at Liverpool before joining Villa in 2024, Kearns does not expect to return to competition until next season. However, her ambitions remain unchanged.

The three-cap England international is determined to earn a place in the Lionesses squad for the 2025 World Cup in Brazil.

"My plan while I was pregnant was to make the World Cup squad, and that's not changed. The next few months is getting myself physically, mentally strong, ready for a big season, and to try and make the World Cup squad."

Kearns concluded with a perspective forged through hardship: "I've realised there's more to life than football, but now I'm going to enjoy every minute of football like it's my last because it could have been."