MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry and her husband, James Perry, welcomed a beautiful baby girl to the world on Valentine’s Day. The news came as a surprise to many of MHP’s viewers because she didn’t appear to be pregnant. This morning, Harris-Perry opened up about the path that she took to expand her family after battling uterine fibroids and having a hysterectomy. And, contrary to many reports, she didn’t adopt. She found a surrogate:
My pregnancy with my first daughter was blessedly uneventful; this one, however, was indeed an event. It took two families, three states, four doctors, and five attorneys to get this little girl here. And while our gestational carrier has no genetic tie to our little one, she is now our family. She gave our daughter love, safety, and nourishment for nine months. On Valentine’s Day, she gave her life and placed her in our arms. Her immediate and extended families have supported all of us along the way. They crowded the hospital room this weekend and shared in our joy. We are all bonded for life and our daughter has a bevy of grandparents, aunties, and siblings tied to her by blood and love.
We are sharing this experience, but our gestational carrier and her family do not wish to share it publicly. It is our sincerest hope to protect their privacy as she has protected our daughter.