When it comes to welcoming a child into the world, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The miracle of life comes to different people in different ways, and as more celebrities turn to the use of surrogates to carry their children, it’s a great way to spark an important conversation about pregnancy and fertility.
In light of the recent news that Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson have welcomed their second child via surrogate, we rounded up our favourite celeb couples who have used surrogacy to welcome their children to the world.
Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
Before the world discovered that he’d fathered yet another child with another woman (while still dating Khloé), the former couple had already made the decision to have a second child together via surrogate.
Speaking to PEOPLE, a source said that “just like they do with True, Khloé will co-parent the baby with Tristan. Tristan is the dad and Khloé wants him involved as much as possible. He is great with True.”
On August 5th, 2022, a rep for the reality star confirmed the couple had welcomed a baby boy.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
On January 21st, 2022, Priyanka and Nick announced that they’d secretly welcomed a daughter Malti via surrogate.
Several months later on Mother’s Day, the pair revealed that Malti had spent more than 100 days in the NICU (intensive care unit).
“On this Mother’s Day we can’t help but reflect on these last few months and the rollercoaster we’ve been on, which we now know, so many people have also experienced,” Jonas posted on Instagram, sharing the first ever photo of him with his family.
He later revealed that Malti is healthy and doing well.
Lucy Liu
In 2015, Lucy Liu made the decision to have a child by herself via surrogate and raise the child as a single mum. She announced the birth of her son, Rockwell Lloyd Liu via Twitter.
“It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn’t know when I was going to be able to stop,” she told PEOPLE in 2016.
Speaking to CBS, the actress said she had no idea how much stigma was attached to surrogacy.
“It doesn’t matter the machinations of how things occur. How you love and parent a child is most important. That’s the support system, really.”
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Although Kimye had North and Saint the ol’ fashioned way, Kim’s struggles with pregnancy lead to a condition – placenta accreta – which makes another pregnancy life-threatening.
Because of this, the former couple welcomed two more children Chicago and Psalm through two different surrogates in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman
Thanks to surrogacy, Banks and her partner Max Handelman now have two children, Felix and Magnus.
Banks wrote, “This experience has exceeded all expectations, taught us a great deal about generosity and gratitude, and established a relationship that will last a lifetime.
Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery
Pompeo welcomed daughter Sienna May with her husband Chris Ivery in 2014 thanks to surrogacy. Pompeo shared, “I am forever grateful and feel very blessed and grateful to her.”
Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen
After many years of failing to fall pregnant the late night host and wife Nancy Juvonen decided to try surrogacy. They welcomed daughters Winnie and Frances via surrogate.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
In 2010 the happy couple welcomed their second daughter, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, via surrogacy. The couple, who also have daughter Sunday Rose, said in a statement: “No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier.”
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick added to their family with the help of a surrogate. The couple, who already had son James Wilkie, welcomed twin girls Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick in June 2009.
Speaking of the surrogate mother, Parker said: “She’s made a really big choice to be part of our lives and I think she’s an honourable person.”
Elton John and David Furnish
Elton John and David Furnish welcomed two sons, Zachary and Elijah, via gestational carrier. They used the same surrogate for both of their children and consider her, “part of the family.
Perez Hilton
The King of online blogging, Perez Hilton (a.k.a Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr.), has had two children via surrogacy both of whom he is raising as a single father. His son Mario was born in 2013 and his daughter Mia was born in 2015.
Tyra Banks and Erik Asla
In January 2016, Banks and Norwegian partner Erik Asla welcomed their “miracle boy”, York Banks Asla to the world. Banks shared to Instagram, “As we thank the angel of a woman that carried our miracle baby boy for us, we pray for everyone who struggles to reach this joyous milestone.”
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
NPH and his partner David Burtka became the proud parents of two children, a son and a daughter, who were born via surrogate back in 2010. The actor took to Twitter to share the amazing news, “Gideon Scott and Harper Grace entered the Burtka-Harris fold. All of us are happy, healthy, tired and a little pukey.”
Bill & Giuliana Rancic
After being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, E! News host Giuliana Rancic underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction and then struggled to fall pregnant. Rancic and partner Bill then used surrogacy to welcome baby boy, Edward Duke Rancic.
Kristen Wiig and Avi Rothman
In August 2019, PEOPLE confirmed that Kristen and Avi were engaged, with the couple welcoming twins via surrogacy in early 2020.
Speaking to InStyle, Wiig said that her five years of IVF was the “most difficult time of her life” and she was originally opposed to the idea of a surrogate.
“I remember when our doctor mentioned going other routes and I was just like, ‘Nope. Don’t ever bring that up again. I’m getting pregnant,: she reflected.
“I finally realized that I just needed help. And, thank God, we found the most amazing surrogate.
She called the surrogacy process “bittersweet”, but is now overjoyed to be living her life with happy twins.
Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg
In October 2021, Jamie and Bryan revealed that they had welcomed twin boys via surrogate. Speaking of her decision to use a surrogate, Chung explained that her Hollywood career weighed heavily on her mind.
“I was terrified of becoming pregnant,” she told TODAY Parents.
“In my industry, it feels like you’re easily forgotten if you don’t work within the next month of your last job. Things are so quickly paced in what we do. So it’s a compromise that we made together as a couple…I think there’s a little bit of shame. It’s still not a very common thing and we weren’t ready for judgment,” she continued.
Alec & Hilaria Baldwin
In March 2021, the Baldwins surprised fans when they announced the arrival of daughter Maria Lucia, just months after Hilaria gave birth to son Eduardo “Edu” Pao Lucas in September 2020.
Many were confused over why the pair opted for surrogacy, especially when Hilaria would have already been pregnant with Edu at the time.
A source spoke to PEOPLE defending the family, saying: “It’s no one’s business about a woman’s right to choose how and when she expands her family.”
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wayne
On November 7th, 2018, the actress and NBA star welcomed their first child via surrogate, a daughter named Kaavia James. The couple shared family photos in the hospital on Instagram.
Wade is also a father to three children Xavier, Zaya and Zaire from a previous marriage and he is also raising his nephew Dahveon Morris.
In an interview with Women’s Health, Union opened up about her fertility journey, saying she felt like she was “surrendering to failure” after years of fertility treatments and losses.
However, once she came to terms with it, she learned to embrace the process, even being careful to select a surrogate who loved to read — a trait she hopes to see in her daughter someday.
