Maura Higgins has revealed she almost died from toxic shock syndrome after doctors found a three month old tampon inside her.
The Love Island star from Co Longford said she was ‘so ill’ before they found it as she opened up about the traumatic experience.
Recalling the incident on Shopping with Keith Lemon, the grid girl turned reality star and model said: "I did have a very bad experience.
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“I'm not a doctor, I don't know much about that, but I know you are not meant to leave a tampon inside for more than, in think, it's nine hours, I think that’s the max.
"There was a tampon inside me for three months.
"When the doctor found it, it was stuck to my cervix and I was so ill, I did not know what was going on.”
The 31-year-old told how she feared she was going to die and recalled how she had to leave the room after the tampon had been removed due to the smell.
The Ballymahon born beauty is hoping to raise awareness about the topic to others by speaking out, and to eliminate any shame around the subject of menstruation and sanitary products.
She said: "There were people that have died from that happening," she said.
"Young girls might not have noticed, like you go on a night out, what if you got really drunk and forgot, like, these things actually do happen, and people don't speak about it.
"I remember even being in school, I used to get my tampon out the bag, push it up my sleeve and then go to the toilet like that…thinking back, why was I doing that? “It's nothing to be ashamed about, that's why I think it's an important topic."
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