Pregnant Victoria Ekanoye looks amazing in a new photoshoot ahead of the birth of her son.
The Coronation Street actress and boyfriend Jonny Lomas first shared their happy news with fans in November, when she her pregnancy was already advanced.
At the time, Victoria – who was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia when she was 22 – explained that they had waited to make a pregnancy announcement due to her health.
Due to give birth this month, the 38-year-old bared her bump while swathed in folds of fabric in the stylish maternity shoot.
While some shots see her cast pensive glances around the studio, others see her wearing a beaming smile ahead of meeting her firstborn.
(Image: Weird PR/BabyArt)
Victoria told Hello! magazine in November: “We thought we would try next year. So when this pregnancy came along we were like, ‘It’s happening.’
“It did come as a bit of a surprise but it’s so unbelievably exciting.”
Of her health, she explained: “We know friends that have miscarried and so we waited until we were 12 weeks before we even told our parents.
(Image: Weird PR/BabyArt)
(Image: Weird PR/BabyArt)
“Then, with my health condition, we wanted a little bit more security and stability in knowing that everything is okay with baby and with me.”
Victoria added: “As I have sickle cell, this is regarded as a high-risk pregnancy but the team at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester are amazing and I see my sickle cell specialist, my obstetrician and my midwife every month and they really look after me.”
She told The Mirror in May last year that she suffered crippling leg pain and fatigue as a result of the inherited condition.
(Image: victoriaekanoye/Instagram)
(Image: Instagram)
Recalling having to cut short a contract on 2004 due to the pain in 2004, she told: “I was disappointed in myself that I hadn’t listened to my body more and been aware of this life-threatening condition.
“That’s 100 per cent what I do now.
“I couldn’t get involved in playing out in the snow as the pain in my hands was excruciating.
“Even now, if I take something out the freezer, I’ve got to be quick.”