Olivia Bowen has been diagnosed with this rare disease

The mother-to-be has taken to social media to share what she goes through regularly to deal with her under-active thyroid diagnosis.

Living with an under-active thyroid

The 28-year-old posted pictures on her Instagram account showing her bruised up arm after having 'aggressive blood tests' to monitor her health. An under-active thyroid occurs when the gland does not produce enough hormone levels which could destabilise chemical balances in the body to function normally. Symptoms include everything from tiredness to fluctuating weight and even feelings of depression. In the story she uploaded, the blonde beauty wrote:

Was an aggressive blood test by the looks of things. I used to hate them so much but I get them so often now I really don't even flinch anymore! Always have them for my thyroid and now throughout pregnancy.

And added:

My levels are good but they do fluctuate a bit. I didn't have any issues with pregnancy and haven't done during pregnancy. I am being monitored and my meds were increased slightly but I'm still classes as low risk at the moment.

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No longer the girl she used to be

Thankfully, despite her illness, Bowen's pregnancy thus far has been going smoothly albeit she admits to feeling a sense of mourning the person she once was. The soon-to-be mother is expecting her first child with husband Alex Bowen who she met on the second series of Love Island.

Earlier this year, Olivia shared with fans how she had been reflecting back on who she was before becoming pregnant and how the entirety of her life has changed, for the better. She explained:

I'm sort of mourning the person that you're leaving behind a little bit. That's how it feels to me. I'm going into this new life and mourning the girl I was before. It is just a strange feeling, it's not a horrible feeling. It is quite overwhelming.