Laura Prepon reveals she had to terminate second pregnancy

Laura Prepon has revealed she terminated her second pregnancy after developing a serious complication.  

The actress, 40, made the gut-wrenching revelation in her new book, You & I As Mothers, where she shed light on the painful chapter in her life.

Laura and her husband Ben Foster were elated to learn they were expecting a second child, but decided to wait until after their first sonogram at 16 weeks to share the news with loved ones, according to an excerpt obtained by People. 

Earth shattering: Laura Prepon has revealed she terminated her second pregnancy after developing a serious condition impacting her child’s growth (pictured 2015 in New York)

However, it was at their sonogram appointment that the couple learned the earth-shattering news that the child had developed a condition called cystic hygroma, which is ‘an abnormal development of the lymphatic vascular system during embryonic growth,’ according to People.

Laura was absolutely devastated by the news.

‘Our neonatal specialist told us the brain was not growing and the bones were not growing,’ she wrote. 

‘We were told the pregnancy would not go to full term and that my body was at risk carrying any longer.’

'Ben held me as I cried': Prepon reflected on this painful chapter involving her husband Ben Foster (pictured 2018)

‘Ben held me as I cried’: Prepon reflected on this painful chapter involving her husband Ben Foster (pictured 2018)

‘Ben held me as I cried,’ she said. ‘We had to terminate the pregnancy.’ 

Laura feared years of self-abuse had contributed to the condition, however her doctors assured her that wasn’t the case.

Still, she was plagued with negative self-talk.

‘Doctors confirmed it wasn’t but in those moments it’s easy to punish yourself,’ she said. 

'It's easy to punish yourself': Laura feared years of self-abuse had contributed to the condition, however her doctors assured her that wasn't the case (pictured 2019 in New York)

‘It’s easy to punish yourself’: Laura feared years of self-abuse had contributed to the condition, however her doctors assured her that wasn’t the case (pictured 2019 in New York)

Luckily Ben proved to be a great source of strength for Laura at this time, and eventually the couple were expecting another child. 

‘When the news began to sink in, we realized we’re going to go on this journey again and bring our daughter a sibling,’ she recalled.

‘I was also ecstatic,’ she wrote. ‘I mean, it’s magical.’ 

The couple welcomed a son earlier this year, making their two-year-old daughter Ella a big sister. 

Oh boy! The couple welcomed a son earlier this year, making their two-year-old daughter Ella a big sister

Oh boy! The couple welcomed a son earlier this year, making their two-year-old daughter Ella a big sister

In addition to this particularly painful chapter, Laura also shed light on her relationship with her mother Marjorie.

The actress said that her own mother taught her how to be bulimic, helping her maintain a weight of just 105 lbs. at 5’10’.

The Orange is the New Black star reflected on her eating disorder in her new book, ‘You & I, as Mothers,’ and revealed to People this week that it began when a modeling agency told her to lose weight — and her mother Marjorie helped her to realize she could eat and purge. 

‘I always thought of myself as this strong, confident woman, but it became a compulsion that would completely debilitate me,’ she said.

Sharing her truth: Laura Prepon, 40, said that her own mother taught her how to be bulimic

Learning: ‘She told me, ‘You can have your cake and eat it too.’ I knew exactly what she was talking about,’ Laura said of her mom Marjorie

Long lasting: Laura said she was bulimic from age 15 until her late 20s (pictured in 2001)

Long lasting: Laura said she was bulimic from age 15 until her late 20s (pictured in 2001)

When Laura was 15, she was 5’10’ and ‘athletic’ — but that doesn’t cut it in the modeling world.

She had gone for an open casting at an agency, where she was told to lose 25 lbs., and the weight loss soon became her and her mother’s ‘shared project.’  

‘My mom started weighing me every morning and taking my measurements,’ Laura said.

Eventually she was down to just 105 lbs. — which gave her a BMI of 15.1, dangerously below the a low normal weight BMI of 18.5.

Flashback: When Laura was 15, she was 5'10" and 'athletic,' but a modeling agency told her to lose 25 lbs. (pictured after a runway show when she was 15)

Flashback: When Laura was 15, she was 5’10’ and ‘athletic,’ but a modeling agency told her to lose 25 lbs. (pictured after a runway show when she was 15)

Lessons; Laura (seen left in 1997) said that Marjorie was bulimic in college, and after she lost weight that way, sh met Laura’s dad — so she equated thinness with success

‘That’s when she told me, “You can have your cake and eat it too.” I knew exactly what she was talking about,’ Laura recalled.

Opening up: She discusses her eating disorder in her new book 'You & I, as Mothers'

Opening up: She discusses her eating disorder in her new book ‘You & I, as Mothers’

‘It was a bonding thing we would do together. A shared secret.’

Laura said that Marjorie was bulimic in college, and after she lost weight that way, she met Laura’s dad — so she equated thinness with success. 

‘I think she was trying to help me in her own way,’ she said.

Laura added her bulimia lasted from 15 into her late 20s. She was cast on That 70’s Show at age 18.

Marjorie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about seven years ago, and as she lost her sense of self, Laura felt compelled to confront their past. 

However, she doesn’t want to feel anger toward her, especially with the limited time they have left, and is instead focusing on being healthy. 

Family: She is now a mother herself, sharing a baby boy and a three-year-old daughter named Ella with her husband Ben Foster

Family: She is now a mother herself, sharing a baby boy and a three-year-old daughter named Ella with her husband Ben Foster

Family: She is now a mother herself, sharing a baby boy and a three-year-old daughter named Ella with her husband Ben Foster

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