MAFS' Martha and Michael had one hope for their second pregnancy. It hasn't happened.

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A few days ago, when Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli announced that she was expecting their second baby, their social media accounts were flooded with the same comment: "I hope this pregnancy is easier than the first."

It's no surprise that this was the sentiment. While pregnant with her first son, Lucius, Martha suffered greatly from a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), which is a severe form of morning sickness.

Now, it seems history has unfortunately repeated itself.

On Saturday, Michael shared a slew of photos of Martha, debilitated in bed and receiving an IV, along with a lengthy statement about the reality of her second pregnancy.

Watch: 'Advice for five-year-old me' with Martha Kalifatidis. Post continues after video.

"It's time we tell you what's really been happening in our life," he wrote on Instagram. "In July we went to China for business, knowing Martha was pregnant and hoping she wouldn't have HG this time around."

When Martha seemed fine, the family flew to Hong Kong for a quick trip before heading to Dubai for work. This is where things took a turn for the worse.

"In Hong Kong, the nausea and vomiting started," Michael continued. "Martha spent five days unable to get out of bed in Dubai. We had doctors come to the room to give her medication and IV fluid."

At that time, the couple posted on social media to "keep up appearances", but Michael said that many people "saw right through it".

The family posted to "keep up appearances". Image: Instagram/@marthaa__k

"We made it home, Martha was really struggling, in a dark room all day, no time with Looch [Lucius], and constant vomiting and nausea. We started getting IV Drips every second day as she was struggling to drink water and keep it down."

Their two-year-old son, who they call Looch, started "showing signs of stress" as he wasn't able to be close to Martha, instead becoming "clingy" with his dad.

For the next few days, Michael alternated between trying to get Martha to eat and drink, comforting her while she vomited, and giving her space to rest.

Despite her poor health, Martha's first scan showed that everything was okay with the baby.

"As the weeks passed, Martha started to be able to get up and sit outside for short periods, a big improvement in our eyes," said Michael, adding that she was gradually able to get out of the house a bit more.

Like her first pregnancy, Martha is suffering from HG. Image: Instagram/@mbrunelli

"As of today, Martha's still suffering from HG, but she's definitely improved. It's so exciting to see Looch starting to understand that there's a baby in Mummy's tummy," he finished the statement.

The vulnerable post was soon inundated with messages of support from friends and fans.

Fellow MAFS alum Domenica Calarco, who ended up in hospital during her own pregnancy, shared her support, writing: "Such a legend! Having a difficult pregnancy is so debilitating and affects every aspect of your life. You've got this mumma!"

Martha and Michael announced they were expecting baby number two on Wednesday, sharing a video of Lucius kissing his mum's baby bump, along with some other photos that hinted towards Martha's unwell state.

Martha and Michael share a baby boy named Lucius. Image: Instagram/@mbrunelli

"Knocked up n' knocked out," Martha captioned the post. "Will be back bigger and better soon… fingers crossed."

In November 2022, when revealing her first pregnancy, Martha shared that she was experiencing HG; a condition that affects one in 100 pregnancies. The Princess of Wales also suffered HG through all three of her pregnancies.

HG can last for more than a few days or, in Martha's case, for an entire pregnancy. While speaking to Mamamia's Hello Bump podcast in 2023, the MAFS alum opened up about her experience with the condition.

"Those seven and a half months were grim," she shared.

The content creator noticed something was wrong when she was overseas and had begun to feel unwell. She'd needed a bucket by her bed at all times. It wasn't general morning sickness — this was much worse, but she didn't get a diagnosis until she returned home to Australia.

"When I finally saw my obstetrician in Australia, a woman I'd never met walked into the room and said, 'Oh jeez, you look like s**t, and I was like, 'Thank you'. Finally, someone recognised what I was going through."

Basic tasks fell to the wayside, she admitted. "You're not thinking about work or anything, sometimes I wouldn't shower for days."

HG is a condition that affects one in 100 pregnancies. Image: Instagram/@mbrunelli

Unfortunately, after Martha welcomed her son, the setbacks only continued, as she had to endure seven rounds of antibiotics in 12 months for various issues.

"I have been wiped out," she wrote on Instagram at the time. "Will my microbiome ever be okay?"

Amidst an outpouring of well-wishes, Martha shared that her body had changed since Lucius' birth.

"Since my tumultuous pregnancy and then giving birth and breastfeeding, I haven't been the same. Feels like I just can't get my health back."

Martha continued, acknowledging that she had led a demanding life since pregnancy.

"I also live a super stressful life, always say yes, stay up late on my laptop/phone and do way too much, so that can't help," she wrote. "But thank you for all your advice."

Martha and Michael first met on season six of Married At First Sight. Image: Instagram/@marthaa__k

Despite the pain, Martha told Hello Bump that she wouldn't change a thing about her journey, because it gave her a beautiful son.

"I would do it all over again, because I'm so obsessed with him," she said. "It was all worth it in the end."

Feature Image: Instagram/@marthaa__k.

This article was originally published in March 2024 and has since been updated.