Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) has returned to Albert Square in tonight’s episode of Eastenders, setting foot in the square for the first time since 2022, and there is a twist – she is heavily pregnant.
Nancy arrives looking for her brother Johnny (Charlie Suff), saying she needs his legal advice. However, when she starts having pains, she heads to the hospital, where she runs into her mum Linda (Kallie Bright).
Linda is surprised to see Nancy and even more surprised to see that she’s pregnant, saying: “I didn’t think you wanted kids”.
She starts fussing over Nancy, asking if the doctors had checked her over, and adding: “And you mentioned your epilepsy? I expect they’re keeping and extra-close eye on you, aren’t they?”
Nancy replies: “Obviously I mentioned my epilepsy, it’s all under control.”
In trying to explain why her pregnancy is more complicated than it first appears, Nancy becomes frustrated with Linda and asks her to leave.
Later, in another unexpected return, she reveals who the father of the baby is, and it’s her brother Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard). It’s clear that everything isn’t as it seems…
Nancy Carter’s epilepsy
Nancy’s epilepsy was revealed in 2014, when she had a seizure while out with her family.
Initially, Maddy Hill, who plays Nancy, said she was “absolutely terrified” to portray epilepsy, as she didn’t know anything about the condition.
“I didn’t know anyone who had epilepsy and I was very aware of wanting to be respectful to people who suffer with such a massive thing in day-to-day life.”
Nancy’s epilepsy has been revisited throughout her time on EastEnders, helping to portray both absence seizures and tonic clonic seizures.
In one episode, she has an absence seizure in the Bridge Street Café, where her brother Lee sits with her and speaks reassuringly until her seizure is over.
Another episode sees Nancy experience an absence seizure while she is babysitting Sharon Watts’ (Letitia Dean) one-year-old baby Albie. Nancy starts to feel unwell and knows another seizure is likely to happen. She puts Albie safely in his cot and calls her dad Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) shortly before she falls to the ground and has a tonic-clonic seizure.
Nancy has left EastEnders on a few occasions, once in 2016, returning in 2021, and then again in 2022. Her epilepsy has remained part of her storyline throughout her time on the show and continues to be, with the mention again as part of her most recent return.
Epilepsy and pregnancy
Nancy and Linda are right to ensure that epilepsy is part of the conversation around her pregnancy.
Most pregnant people with epilepsy will have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. However, it is important that people’s pregnancy care is overseen by specialists in both pregnancy and epilepsy, as they can impact on one another.
Some epilepsy medications can carry a risk to an unborn baby, so people are advised to speak to their epilepsy specialist before getting pregnant or as soon as they find out they are pregnant.
Epilepsy Action says people should not stop taking their medication without speaking to their doctor, as this could cause risk to the mother and baby.
Around one in three people may experience worsening seizures during pregnancy. This could be because the type of medicine no longer controls their epilepsy, or because the level of the medicine in their blood changes during pregnancy. It could also be due to other seizure triggers, like lack of sleep.
It’s important to speak to your doctor if you have any problems or questions around your pregnancy and epilepsy. Epilepsy Action has more information on pregnancy and epilepsy too.
Epilepsy Action is working to make pregnancy safer for people with epilepsy. The latest MBRRACE report into maternal risks, showed that epilepsy and stroke are the fourth leading cause of maternal deaths between 2022-2024.
It also showed that four in five deaths in women with epilepsy could be avoided. Epilepsy Action worked with the maternity and midwifery team covering the North West of England to identify problems women face and create solutions.
Together, they developed clinical guidance and service specification which were piloted across the North West of England and are now also being rolled out to other regions.
You can find out more about the maternity project on the Epilepsy Action website.
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