Olympic boxer Nicola Adams and her girlfriend Ella Baig are expecting their first child, the couple have announced.

Adams, 39, who became the first woman to win a boxing Olympic medal in 2012, announced the news on social media, saying she was “so excited” her family was growing.

Alongside a photo of the couple kissing and an ultrasound scan, she said: “After what feels like a lifetime, we can finally say we’re going to be parents!

“We’re so excited to share this magical journey with you all, the ups, the downs everything in between.

“Welcome to the world little one.”

Writing in Vogue, the former Strictly contestant said the couple had gone through two rounds of unsuccessful IVF, with Baig, 23, suffering a miscarriage.

She is now in her second trimester.

Adams opened up about her concerns trying to conceive as a same-sex couple.

“I think there’s still a stigma attached to the IVF process and, for same-sex couples, there’s an additional layer of complexity,” she said.

“All of this needs to be spoken about more widely. People need to be educated about this process so that they’re not going into it completely blind. The information is out there but we really had to dig for it.”

She said she hoped other couples could learn from their experience.

“We hope that at least one person finds solace in our story. If you’re a same-sex couple going through this chapter of your lives, know that you’re not alone.”