Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) has realised she has been putting her unborn baby at risk amid her addiction to painkillers in EastEnders.

The character has been finding it increasingly hard to cope with her pain following the injuries she sustained in the crowd crush at Peggy’s back in September.

Last week, Lauren then had a huge shock when she discovered she was pregnant.

During Monday’s episode, Lauren’s partner Peter Beale (Thomas Law) caught her with strong painkillers and warned her against continuing to take them for the sake of their baby.

Later, she confided in cousin Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) that she was unable to stop taking them, despite doctors warning they would not be prescribing any more. 

Believing she had become addicted to her meds, Lauren told Penny she feared it could harm her baby. 

Penny ushered her to an emergency scan where medics confirmed that everything was OK with her pregnancy. 

However, they warned her to stick to taking only paracetamol for her pain from now on, leaving Lauren panicked. 

Penny then agreed to keep the day’s events to herself, but will Lauren confide in Peter about her plight?

Things look set to get even more complicated for Lauren later this week, when she finds herself at war with Peter’s mum Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).

After Lauren witnesses an incident between Cindy and Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho), she vows to find out what secret Cindy is hiding.

With her affair with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) at risk of being exposed, what lengths will Cindy go to keep Lauren quiet?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer.