The couple turned to surrogacy after they tried IVF and it did not work out.
Maria Menounos will soon become a mother! The 44-year-old TV anchor and her husband Keven Undergaro are expecting to welcome their first child. "Just after a decade of trying everything, we are so grateful to the beautiful family helping us conceive our baby," the mom-to-be beamed in an interview with PEOPLE, adding, "Keven, my dad and I are all beyond excited for this soul to come into our lives. What a blessing."
Menounos, who worked with Family Match Consulting, also released a touching video that was shared by PEOPLE. In the video, she sits next to her father, Constantinos, and watches an ultrasound clip. Menounos can be heard exclaiming, "Oh my God," adding, "Guys, that's my baby. I love you."
The ultrasound can be seen in the reflection when another person viewing the video holds up their phone to make a video. "It's so different when you see the reel," she comments, adding, "It's more personal when you see it in the womb, right?"
Last February, Menounos provided an update to PEOPLE in an interview where she opened up about the couple's fertility quest, which the couple has previously been documenting publicly. "I definitely didn't think it was going to take this long. It's been years. We've used different services, different people," said the TV host, who first began IVF treatments in 2012, adding that she feels like the process is "very frustrating."
Menounos and Undergaro, 55, originally considered surrogacy in 2018, but she and Undergaro were heartbroken when they discovered in 2021 that their first surrogate was no longer a medical match. "That was a really hard breakup because we had been together on the journey for almost two years. She was just so lovely and so amazing and very patient with us," said Menounos.
She revealed at the time that the pair had recruited another surrogate and were "in the throes of all of that." But this time she informed her doctors that she feels like if this one doesn't work, it's her final straw, and "it's most likely not meant to be." She said, "I can't go through this process again."
The taxing journey has made the couple more grateful and kinder to themselves. On February 8, the mom-to-be went on Live with Kelly and Ryan to announce the joyful news. In an Instagram post, she shared her happiness, "Thank you to our incredibly generous surrogate and her family for this blessing! And lastly, I know my mom had a cup of greek coffee with god and said it’s time. So grateful for the blessing in our lives. Can't believe I’m sharing this news without her in physical, but I know she made it happen on the other side and is going to be with me every step of the way. Thank you all for your love! We are just so grateful!"
References:
https://people.com/parents/maria-menounos-expecting-baby-with-husband-keven-undergaro/
https://people.com/parents/maria-menounos-super-costly-emotionally-taxing-surrogacy-journey/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoXgDmApXAv/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Gabe Ginsberg
