TWO women who suffered strokes at a young age, including one who was pregnant at the time, have spoken of their experiences as they urged others to be more aware of the risks of the condition.
Laura Pike, from Aberdeen, had a stroke when she was 31, and 38 weeks pregnant, in 2002 while Emma Dawson, from Glenrothes, is recovering after having one two months ago - at the age of just 29.
They are backing a campaign to highlight the misconceptions about strokes among women, with many people unaware of the risks of the condition. One in eight women in the UK believe a stroke could never happen to them, according to figures published by the Stroke Association.
Three quarters of women did not know that a stroke is one of the world's biggest killers, causing 30,000 deaths among women in the UK every year, but more than half of females, compared with two-fifths of males, said they feared becoming reliant on others if they suffered a stroke.
Ms Dawson said: "The stroke paralysed my hand ... there's nothing more frustrating than looking at your hand and begging it to move.
"It is important that everyone is more aware of a stroke. It really is more common than you think, even babies and toddlers and teenagers having strokes.
"A stroke affects everyone and not just the person who has the stroke - it's their families too."
Ms Pike, 43, added: "I was a fit and healthy 31-year-old, 38 weeks pregnant. It was a healthy pregnancy. But that was when my stroke happened. If I had not been aware of myself physically then I probably would not have gone for help so fast and made such a brilliant recovery."
The poll of 2,000 people was published to coincide with World Stroke Day today.
Andrea Cail, director Scotland at The Stroke Association, said: "There's still more to do to make women aware a stroke could happen to them. As women get older, their risk significantly increases and one in five women will have a stroke."
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