Rebecca Adlington has revealed how antibiotics helped save her life after she developed sepsis following surgery for a miscarriage.Paul Eddison13:24, 26 Jun 2026Rebecca Adlington can still remember the fear that engulfed her four years ago when she found herself unable to walk, lift her head or even open her eyes because of sepsis. The double Olympic champion had been released from hospital after requiring surgery for a miscarriage in 2022, but within a couple of days, had taken a turn for the worse and needed to be rushed back in an ambulance.‌What followed was a terrifying period where Adlington had no idea what was wrong with her, but once the doctors had diagnosed her with sepsis, she was started on a course of antibiotics and immediately started to recover. It is for that reason that Adlington is now lending her support to the Keep antibiotics in play campaign to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance.‌Teaming up with the Fleming Initiative, with funding and support from GSK, Adlington is hoping to raise awareness of the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and encourage the public to help protect antibiotics.‌She said: “My journey over the past few years has been incredible, but unfortunately it’s also included two miscarriages.“With my first miscarriage, I had surgery. As with any surgery, there’s always a risk of infection. I had the procedure, everything seemed okay, and I came out of hospital. A couple of days later, though, I took a massive downward turn.“I didn’t know what was wrong. I ended up back in hospital after needing an ambulance. They literally had to carry me from the bathroom. I knew that wasn’t normal. I should have been able to walk, talk and open my eyes.‌“What made it even harder was that my children were terrified. It was the first time they’d seen an ambulance come to take their mum away, and I wasn’t well enough to comfort them.“I remember being in hospital with my husband and begging him not to leave. I was so scared. Nobody knew what was wrong. They didn’t know whether it was related to the miscarriage, the surgery or something else entirely. Once they diagnosed sepsis, they immediately started me on antibiotics.“I’m so grateful for that because I can’t describe how awful I felt. It was terrifying. I couldn’t open my eyes, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t lift my head. I was completely out of it and didn’t understand what was happening.‌“Within about 24 hours of starting the antibiotics, I could feel a difference. I wasn’t suddenly up and running around the ward, but I wasn’t as scared. I could feel the treatment working. I was incredibly grateful that there was something effective they could give me and that they knew exactly how to treat it.“That’s why joining the Keep antibiotics in play campaign felt so important. I genuinely believe antibiotics saved my life. I hate to think what could have happened otherwise.”Antibiotics are essential to treat bacterial infections, but their effectiveness is under threat as bacteria develop resistance due to overuse and misuse.‌Often referred to as ‘superbugs’, these resistant bacteria are making common infections harder to treat and increasing the risks associated with routine procedures including surgery and cancer treatment.Antibiotic resistance already causes over one million deaths each year and without urgent action, almost 40 million lives could be lost between 2025 and 2050.To reduce antibiotic resistance, there are simple steps that everyone can follow: using antibiotics only when needed and prescribed, taking them exactly as directed, never saving or sharing them and trusting professional advice, not pushing for antibiotics if not required.‌Adlington added: “For me, supporting this campaign was an easy decision. Antibiotics saved my life and getting that education and understanding out there is absolutely vital.“If we continue to overuse them, there’s a real risk they won’t be effective in the future, and millions of lives could be affected.“It’s vital that antibiotics remain available and effective, and that they aren’t misused. As a parent of three children, I know it can be a minefield trying to work out whether something is a bacterial infection or a viral one. We don’t really get educated about this.‌“We need to preserve them for when they’re genuinely needed. That means taking them exactly as directed, never sharing them and never saving them for later.”After her own experience with antibiotics, Adlington welcomed her third child earlier this year, a little girl called Thea.And while she admits that time is a precious commodity with a family of five and a newborn, she is also grateful to be back healthy after what she went through.Article continues belowShe added: “Having Thea here is lovely. It took a lot of traumas and a long journey to get to this point, but we’re incredibly grateful that we were able to have our third child and that she’s happy and healthy.”Rebecca Adlington, Matt Dawson and Alice Tai have teamed up with the Fleming Initiative to launch the Keep antibiotics in play campaign, to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance, with funding and support from GSK. For more information visit here.