FAMILY MATTERS
My dad’s a multi-millionaire on Dragons’ Den – I work at a nursing home & face same struggle as thousands of women
The mum-to-be has opened up about finally getting her diagnosis - and the journey that followed
THE daughter of a multi-millionaire Dragons' Den star has told of facing the same struggle as thousands of other women.
Annabelle Jones, 30, is Peter Jones' eldest child and will make him a first-time grandparent in a matter of days after a long journey to becoming pregnant.
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But the mum-to-be, who works in a nursing home, has opened up about her efforts to get pregnant and fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a parent.
Annabelle has endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome and said she had been left "heartbroken" at the thought of never being able to have biological children.
She's now shared her battle over the last few years - including how she was told at the age of 27 that she needed a hysterectomy.
The 30-year-old has revealed she got pregnant through IVF, and will raise her baby alone.
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Annabelle told : "It took ten years to be properly diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 27.
"Before that I was constantly told I just had bad periods. There were endless doctors’ appointments and countless scans, and I was prescribed a range of different contraceptive pills."
She added: "It is crazy what we have to go through to get a diagnosis."
In November, Annabelle uploaded a photo of her dad and other loves ones with the caption: "There will be an extra little one soon for the family photos."
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The author, who published the book You Are You in 2021, said that she planned to postpone the operation for three years, and was beginning the process of freezing her eggs.
Then in July last year, just months after her 30th birthday, she informed her social media followers that she was pregnant and expecting a baby in January 2024.
She revealed that her little one had been "made with love and a little bit of science" and said it was her "little miracle and dream come true".
Since the announcement Annabelle, who is open about the fact she will be a solo mum, has shared her IVF journey with her Instagram followers.
Shortly before New Year's Eve, she revealed online that her baby would be born "within two weeks".
Alongside adorable pictures of her showing off her baby bump, Annabelle wrote: "Eviction notice given, and within two weeks my little one will be here.
"I remember being eight weeks pregnant and now I am 38 weeks. Time really does go by so fast.
"I am feeling ready for this new life of mine and cannot wait to meet her."
Annabelle yesterday revealed she was "about to pop" with her first child.
It will be her dad Peter's first grandchild.
The 57-year-old is best known for being a "Dragon" on the BBC's Dragons' Den.
He has been a part of the show since its very first series back in 2005.
Despite his whopping reported net worth of £1.157bn, Peter has said in the past that he will not be leaving his fortune to his children.
Speaking to the back in 2016, he said: "I want my kids to be polite and respectful, stand on their own two feet.
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"In the future if they want to go and do charitable work, then I'll fund that charitable work.
"I've said that rather than me buying them a house, I'll give them a contribution on top of what they deliver."
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition which occurs when tissue which is similar to the lining of the womb is found outside of the womb - in areas of the body including the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, the abdomen and the bladder.
So what causes the condition that so many women suffers from?
The exact cause of the condition isn't known, but it's thought it could be hereditary or due to environmental factors - namely the presence of dioxins in the environment.
Meanwhile, other experts believe it could be caused by a process called retrograde menstruation, which is when the womb lining flows backwards through the Fallopian tubes into the abdomen, instead of leaving the body as a period.
Endometriosis can sometimes cause damage to the Fallopian tubes or ovaries, leading to fertility problems.
Other complications can include painful ovarian cysts and adhesions - areas of tissue which can fuse organs together.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, saw researchers analyse tissue from the lining of the womb of 27 women and found most had one or multiple genetic mutations.
Twenty-four were found to have genetic mutations that could increase the risk of cancer.
These mutations can occur in any of the cells of the body except sperm and egg cells and can, but do not always, trigger the disease.
Study co-author, Michael Anglesio, told : “Finding these mutations in non-cancer conditions is largely uncharted territory.
“It’s not just inflammation around endometrial tissue in the wrong place, it’s that there are genetic changes hardwired into the biology of the disorder.”
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