In a heartfelt revelation, former NRL player Tom Burgess and his wife, Tahlia Giumelli, have shared the sorrow of experiencing a pregnancy loss due to an unforeseen medical crisis that necessitated emergency surgery.

Tahlia, married to the ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs star, took to Instagram to disclose the devastating turn of events. She recounted how an unexpected pregnancy quickly shifted from a joyful surprise to a heartbreaking ordeal.

Last month, the couple discovered they were expecting another child, an unexpected development that left them awash with a mix of emotions before ultimately settling into happiness.

However, as Tahlia explained, what they initially thought was a miscarriage turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy. This serious condition occurs when a fertilized egg implants itself outside the uterus, posing significant health risks.

“Last month, we learned we were pregnant with our fourth, the surprise of a lifetime,” Tahlia shared. “A moment that held every emotion at once, before settling gently into joy.”

Former NRL forward Tom Burgess and his wife Tahlia have three children and were expecting their fourth when a medical emergency turned into a family tragedy

Tom, pictured with his son Alfie, and his wife Tahlia lost their fourth child to an ectopic pregnancy

Tahlia (pictured with Tom) took to Instagram to describe what they had been through to raise awareness of ectopic pregnancies

‘A moment that held every emotion at once, before settling gently into joy.

‘Not long after, while Tom was away for work, joy turned into fear. What we thought was a miscarriage became something more urgent, more complex. An ectopic pregnancy. Emergency surgery.

‘The loss of a baby, and the loss of a part of my body I never imagined saying goodbye to.

‘This isn’t a post asking for sympathy. I am okay. Held by a village of women who stepped forward without hesitation, by a husband who dropped everything to prioritise my healing, by children who remind me daily how full life already is.

‘This is a post for awareness. For the quiet grief that doesn’t always have language. For the women navigating loss alongside hospital rooms, monitors, fear, and shock. For the stories that so often go untold.

‘Because it can feel unbearably lonely. To grieve a baby while your body is still fighting, to hold heartbreak and recovery in the same breath.

‘If this is your story, or part of it, please know this: you are not alone.

It comes after the couple welcomed their third child, son Alfie, in August 2024.

Tahlia included candid photos from hospital and back at home as she broke the news

Tahlia has previously revealed that Tom helped deliver one of his daughters before going on to play a game for the Rabbitohs

‘Alfie Mark Burgess Born 8/8/24 at 4:04pm. Built like a Burgess weighing in at 4kgs and 54cms long,’ Tahlia, 30, wrote on Instagram at the time.

She added: ‘Our sweet little boy, the perfect addition to our family’.

Tahlia also explained Thomas assisted in the birth before playing a game for the Rabbitohs.

‘Tom whipped on the gloves to help deliver our boy and then went from midwife assistant to football player and turned up in time to run out on the field and play with his team,’ she wrote alongside a video of the newborn,’ she posted. 

The couple are now living in the UK, where Tom is playing for Huddersfield. 

The model, who has spoken publicly about being diagnosed with ADHD, has also recently shared her battles with motherhood. 

She said that even with Tom helping when he was home, she felt like she was barely keeping up with housework, admin and a social life that had basically disappeared. 

Tahlia added that bedtime battles left her too exhausted to do much beyond binge-watching TV while her mental to-do list kept growing. 

‘Hope this makes a few of you feel absolutely normal or maybe you are reading this thinking WTF,’ she finished, followed by a laughing emoji.