Ashley Cain has opened up about his unborn baby's health battle after he announced that he is set to welcome his second child in the new year.

The former footballer, 33, has shared the happy news that he and a close friend will be welcoming a baby boy in January, two years after he tragically lost his daughter Azaylia to cancer at just eight months old.

However, they were left concerned after the 20-week scan, when doctors identified a potential heart defect.

Opening up to The Sun, Ashley said: "They couldn’t find the connection between one of the valves and the heart so it was another very difficult time for me.

"I had already been through a really tough journey with Azaylia. I had already lost a child and I was worried and scared that it could happen again.

"For the weeks that passed, there was a lot of worry and concern until the final check-up in which they thought everything will be OK. He has got to go for a scan as soon as he is born to make sure and double check."

Ashley also poignantly opened up about how he had felt stepping into the clinic to find out the sex of the baby, as the last time he had set foot in the clinic was when his daughter had tragically died.

Describing it as a “nerve-wracking” time, the star also went on to explain it was both “hard” and “beautiful” at the same time, before coming to terms with the fact he was ready to take that step and be a father again.

He also told the publication how it was important for him to sit down with ex-girlfriend Safiyya Vorajee ahead of publicly announcing his baby news.

The pair, who welcomed Azaylia together in 2021, have remained "supportive" of one another, although Ashley admitted that it was still a particularly difficult conversation.

Ashley and Safiyya announced their split in March 2022 and said it “was an incredibly tough decision”.

Ashley wrote on Instagram: “After a devastating and heartbreaking year, Safiyya and I decided to separate a few months ago.

"This was an incredibly though decision which we needed to keep to ourselves for some time to give us the opportunity to figure out our own journey privately.

"The past few months have demonstrated that we remain the closest of friends, spending time together everyday, and that we will love, care and support each other forever."

He added: "We are bonded by our powerful journey together, by the eternal love we have for our daughter, and our passionate commitment to her foundation," followed by an orange heart emoji.

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