SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has spoken of his regret at not being with his wife when she learned that one of their expected twins had died.
Speaking about losing the baby during campaigning for last year's Stormont election, the Foyle MLA revealed that his wife Rachael learned one of the twins she was carrying had died just as the SDLP leader was making news of her pregnancy public.
He only discovered what had happened when he later phoned her after taking part in a televised pre-election leaders' debate.
"Not being there for Rachael at that really difficult time was what annoyed me most," he said.
"Rachael absolutely understood and she was very good about that, but I deeply regret it."
Mr Eastwood (34) told The Belfast Telegraph how last February's UTV debate and an appearance on BBC radio just prior to it coincided with his wife's 20-week scan.
Believing the unborn twins were in good health, the Foyle MLA travelled to Belfast for his broadcasting commitments, while his wife attended what they hoped would be a routine scan in Derry.
However, the scan revealed that one of the twins was already dead.
"We think we lost the baby at 13 or 14 weeks," he said.
"Rachael says she had a sense that there was something wrong but I don't know... there were no physical signs."
He said it was a strange experience to grieve for somebody the couple had not met.
"It was doubly strange because I'd been on the radio talking about us expecting twins and people had been ringing in to congratulate me.
"After that programme, I went straight to UTV for the party leaders' debate, and Rachael couldn't contact me.
"I phoned her afterwards and that's when I found out."
Mr Eastwood and his 33-year-old wife already had a daughter Rosa who was aged one at the time.
On June 29 last year, Rachael gave birth to Maya Olive, a fit and healthy baby girl.
"What happened obviously plays on your mind... but we were delighted when Maya was born," the SDLP leader said.
