pregnancy

England’s World Cup-winning captain Zoe Stratford has announced she is pregnant with her first child.

Announcing the news on Instagram the 29-year-old said the baby is due in September.

“We are so incredibly grateful and excited,” added Stratford.

The news comes seven months after she led the Red Roses to a World Cup triumph on home soil.

Stratford’s news will rule her out of the Women’s Six Nations, where England will open their campaign against Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April.

England are yet to confirm who will lead the side in the 2026 campaign, but Marlie Packer and Meg Jones were vice-captains during the World Cup, with Alex Matthews taking the skipper’s armband for their pool match against Australia.

Red Roses head coach John Mitchell will name his Six Nations squad on Friday.

Stratford was named World Player of the Year in 2021 and has also co-captained her club Gloucester-Hartpury to three back-to-back Premiership Women’s Rugby titles.

Since the World Cup success, she has also opened a coffee shop with England and Gloucester team-mate Natasha Hunt.

Stratford becomes the third England women’s player to announce they are expecting this year, following Bristol duo Lark Atkin-Davies and Abbie Ward.

Former England striker Ellen White sits down with Manchester United forward Celin Bizet Donnum to talk through the Norwegian’s ongoing pregnancy journey – from the decision-making process to the support policies in place. They consider whether more female footballers are likely to start families during their playing careers.

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Health officials in Spain have reported 82 cases of mpox clade Ib

British holidaymakers travelling to a popular destination have been advised to take “extra precautions” following a surge in cases of an infectious disease. Spanish health authorities have confirmed 82 cases of a particular strain of mpox.

Travel Health Pro stated: “As of 17 February 2026, a total of 82 cases of mpox clade Ib have been reported in Spain. 62 of these cases have been reported in men who have sex with men (MSM).” The organisation added: “Take extra precautions.”

The Ib variant is believed to spread more easily than the clade II strain which sparked an outbreak across the UK in 2022. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, can be transmitted between individuals through direct physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs.

After contracting mpox, symptoms typically emerge between five and 21 days following infection. Initial signs may include a high temperature, intense headaches, muscle pains and backache, along with swollen glands, chills, extreme fatigue and joint discomfort.

A rash may appear anywhere on the body between one and five days after symptom onset. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that very young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, particularly those with uncontrolled HIV, are at heightened risk of severe complications from mpox, which can be life-threatening.

Throughout 2024, several African nations have been grappling with an outbreak of clade Ib mpox cases. Concurrently, imported instances have surfaced in a range of countries, including Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States.

The NHS recommends contacting 111 if you exhibit any symptoms of mpox and have travelled to central or eastern Africa within the past three weeks, especially if you’ve had close contact with an individual showing signs of mpox.

The health organisation emphasised that whilst the condition is “rare”, there are measures you can take to minimise your risk of contracting it and transmitting it to others. These include:

• Get vaccinated if you’re offered the mpox vaccine
• Wash your hands with soap and water regularly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
• Look out for any possible symptoms of mpox for three weeks after returning from central or east Africa
• Talk to sexual partners about their sexual health and any symptoms they may have
• Be aware of the symptoms of mpox if you’re sexually active, especially if you have new sexual partners
• Take a break from sex and intimate contact if you have symptoms of mpox until you’re seen by a doctor and are told you cannot pass it on
• Do not share bedding or towels with people who may have mpox
• Do not have close contact (within one metre) with people who may have mpox
• Do not go near wild or stray animals, including animals that appear unwell or are dead, while travelling in central or east Africa
• Do not eat or touch meat from wild animals while travelling in central or east Africa

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the first case of mpox clade Ib infection was confirmed in the UK on 30 October 2024. Up to 31 January 2026, 25 cases of were reported.

It said: “To 31 January 2026, most of these cases have reported direct or indirect links to travel to countries where mpox clade Ib is circulating.”

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KATIE Price has proudly brandished a pregnancy test days after claiming she’s pregnant with her sixth baby.

The Sun exclusively revealed the former glamour model said I Do with businessman Lee Andrews in a plush ceremony in Dubai last month.

Over the weekend, it was revealed the pair made their marriage legal in a second ceremony.

Now Katie, 47, has taken to her bathroom to tease the next steps in their relationship.

Last week she appeared to confirm she is expecting as she claimed “I’m having his baby”.

The parent of five’s new video saw her posing in a white T-Shirt, holding a test with her pink manicured fingers.

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Her huge wedding ring was on full display in the clip, which saw her brush her dark locks over her shoulder and flash a smile to the camera.

Yet she covered up the window box on the test, meaning the verdict could not be seen.

She then said: “Hey guys so all the speculation.

“If you want to see the truth subscribe and you will see the answer”.

She then flashed a pose to end the clip and added a subscription box.

Katie married Lee after two weeks of knowing him.

She then stunned fans by appearing to confirm that she’s expecting his baby just hours after meeting his dad.

In her apparent baby announcement, Katie was also quick to take a swipe at Lee’s ex partner Alana Percival, who he was engaged to last year.

In a shock rant, Katie took to social media and said: “Alana I know rejection doesn’t feel nice and I’m married to Lee Andrews the man you want and will never have again.

“Your constant lies and put downs is clearly showing how bitter you are, go live your life little girl.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

“I know the truth and your now embarrassing yourself, go and have the little respect for yourself that’s left.

“I know all about you and who you are.

“At least I’m the real woman he has found and deserves, but please just enjoy watching us build our empire as I’m having his child.

“I’ll enjoy the ride and big d*** energy now, I’m in the saddle.

“He’s the most beautiful human I know who never took anything from you.”

Katie furiously added: “Now disappear back under that bridge you irrelevant little troll.”

While Lee also appeared to confirm the baby news by sharing a picture of him and Katie and writing: “Perfect couple, soon to be triple.”

Over the weekend, he shared an image seemingly showing him cradling Katie’s tummy with his hand.

Katie was previously issued a warning by Lee’s exes Alana and Crystal Janke, who he dated at the same time last year. 

Last month Alana, 32, and Crystal, 40, told The Sun exclusively how they were hoodwinked by the businessman — branding him a lying swindler who preys on women.

Tropical weather, luxury accommodation and relaxing rituals make this island the perfect babymoon destination to visit when pregnant, says travel editor Laura Mulley

Looking for a holiday destination for one last trip as a two before our baby arrived, we found our options surprisingly limited. We didn’t want to chance potential bad weather in Europe off-season, and with the risk of mosquito-borne virus Zika – which is particularly dangerous to pregnant women – ruling out most of the Caribbean and Asia, there was a clear frontrunner that ticked all of our boxes: Mauritius.

Emirates proved to be the best airline to fly with from our nearest airport – Manchester – with the most flight options available – and the staff were exceptionally helpful at making a six-months-pregnant woman feel as comfortable as possible during the journey.

Once we landed, our aim was simple: to enjoy all the things we’d probably struggle to do once our baby arrived, on what would potentially be our last relaxing holiday for a while. And it certainly delivered.

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Le Méridien Ile Maurice

Our first stop was the huge, open, colourful Le Méridien Ile Maurice on the island’s northwest coast. One of Mauritius’s leading family hotels (perfect for showing us what to expect from our future holidays), its hidden gem is its adults-only section, Nirvana, at the end of the kilometre-long beach, which has its own rooms, reception, restaurant, beach area and infinity pool scattered with squishy floating beanbags.

Our Hideaway Suite here was truly one of the biggest we’d ever seen, with a massive distance between the patio doors at the front to the heated plunge pool out the back. Guests get access to a ‘butler’ via WhatsApp, and lots of thoughtful touches from the friendly staff make staying here feel extra-special, from the complimentary cocktail (or mocktail) by the pool at sundown to the petal-strewn bath we found waiting for us after dinner. One night there was even a pregnancy pillow laid out on the bed, something we hadn’t requested but made our stay even more comfortable.

The food at Le Méridien

There are four restaurants at Le Méridien, and it’s worth making your way around them all: Nomad’s buffet is popular with families, Waves serves Mediterranean-style fish and grilled dishes, Kumin gives guests a taste of Mauritius’s strong Indian influence, and – our favourite – Nirvana’s Jade does excellent Asian cuisine, including sushi and teppanyaki (take breakfast here too if you want to savour the child-free moments for as long as possible). All are included in half-board and all-inclusive packages, although booking is recommended for the à la carte restaurants.

What to do at Le Méridien

Keen to enjoy as many grown-up activities as possible, we took part in sunset yoga on the beach, took kayaks and pedalos out into the lagoon’s clear waters, and enjoyed treatments in Le Méridien’s spa, including a heavenly head massage using warm coconut oil, and the perfect pre-natal full body massage. The therapists here are all incredibly skilled – you’ll really feel the benefits.

St Regis Le Morne

The second half of our trip was spent at sister hotel St. Regis Le Morne, formally the JW Marriott, and which joined the historic St. Regis hotel group – founded by American tycoon and Titanic victim John Jacob Astor IV – following a major renovation last year.

On the island’s southwest point, this is a quieter, more secluded part of the country, and St. Regis sits under the shadow of Mauritius’ iconic Le Morne mountain surrounded by miles of beautiful beaches and shallow waters.

Although we spotted plenty of multi-generational families here too, St. Regis definitely has a more elegant and luxurious air to it. With a colonial-style design and elegant rooms set amongst lush vegetation and trickling water features, it has a slight ‘White Lotus season three’ vibe.

There’s a huge pool here, but we found that most couples chose to spend their days on the loungers under palm leaf-umbrellas that line the beach, which are peaceful, always available, and serviced by bar staff at the touch of a button.

The food at St Regis Le Morne

Out of St. Regis’s five restaurants, our favourites were INDYA, serving a modern take on Indian cuisine with the friendliest service, and Japanese Atkuso, where the chef veered from the menu to whip up some of the best maki rolls we’d ever tried to cater to our vegetarian diets. Each restaurant also does its own signature cocktails and ‘mindful mocktails’ with certain health benefits.

What to do at St Regis Le Morne

St. Regis is proud of its history and heritage, and a key feature are its three ‘rituals’, found in all its properties around the world, and all – pleasingly for our purpose – highly unsuitable for children: Bloody Marys, sabrage and afternoon tea.

In homage to the first ever spicy tomato juice cocktail as we know it, reportedly invented at the St. Regis New York in the 1920s, our charismatic bartender Vymal demonstrated how to make this hotel’s own version, the L’Île Mary, using Mauritian rum infused with curry leaves and topped with turmeric foam. The self-appointed Bloody Mary connoisseur out of the two of us declared it to be one of the best he’d ever tasted.

Next up was learning sabrage – the art of opening a bottle of champagne with the swish of a sword, and supposedly how Napoleon liked to celebrate his victories. Although initially unconfident, following expert instruction we were thrilled to deftly remove the top of our bottle of fizz in one smooth swipe.

Afternoon tea was a more genteel affair, and is a reference to Lady Astor’s daily habit of gathering family and friends around in the afternoons to share wisdom. Here it involves Mauritian tea and viennoiserie from the hotel’s kitchen, taken under swaying palm trees on the beach – just heavenly, and the perfect last few moments of calm before we became a three.

How much does it cost?

Rooms at Le Méridien Ile Maurice start from £220 per night on a B&B basis based on double occupancy. Rooms at St. Regis Le Morne start from £585 per night based on double occupancy (two night minimum stay required). Returns flights from Manchester to Mauritius were with Emirates start from £775.

DAISY Lowe looked stunning in a sheer lace dress, as she made her first public outing since announcing her second pregnancy.

The model, 37, showed off her growing baby bump, just a week after she announced her and husband Jordan Saul’s happy news.

The soon-to-be mum-of-two, who already shares daughter Ivy, two, with Jordan, 31, looked incredible as she stepped out for London’s Fashion Week.

The Strictly Come Dancing star looked every inch the yummy mummy as she showed off her growing baby bump.

Daisy pulled out all the stops in the daring sheer outfit which revealed her black lingerie.

The pregnant star looked happy and relaxed as she posed for the photos in her stunning outfit.

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She wore her long black hair loose and her make-up was glowing.

Daisy thrilled fans when she revealed her and husband Jordan were set to welcome their second child.

She wrote: “Heading home from our honeymoon with an extra stowaway.

“Little bump is growing FAST & Ivy is so excited to meet *her* baby.”

Daisy and property developer Jordan married just seven months ago.

The model, whose dad is Bush rocker Gavin Rossdale, wed her new husband Jordan exactly five years after they met in June 2020.

The happy couple had a chance encounter while out walking their dogs on London’s Hampstead Heath.

After a whirlwind romance, Daisy announced her first pregnancy in October 2022, a month after getting engaged.

Daisy said at the time: “I wanted to share some news with you. Jordan and I are having a baby.

“We are absolutely bursting at the seams with happiness. I’m oscillating wildly between excitement & nervousness with a dash of morning sickness thrown in for good measure! Big love to all of you.”

Daisy then gave birth to their daughter Ivy the following year.

But now she is expanding her brood by another bundle of joy.