It’s been a big MORNING for Sonia Kruger, 48, who just announced she is 16 weeks pregnant with her TV executive partner Craig McPherson, after many years of trying.
Sonia, co-host of Channel 9’s MORNINGS, is turning 49 on Thursday. In an exclusive and heart-warming interview with Richard Wilkins this morning, Sonia thanked an unnamed egg donor friend and the marvels of modern science for allowing women previously unable to conceive, the wonderful opportunity to become mothers. “I know what it’s like to be a woman who wants to have a child,” Sonia explained to Richard. “My heart goes out to all the women who are in the same boat. I guess the lesson in it is, if you really want it enough, there are ways to make it happen. And that’s where I think science is in amazing thing. There are leaps and bounds that are happening in technology every single day and Australia is leading the way in terms of assisted reproduction. It’s a great thing if it can help women to achieve those goals in becoming a mum – feeling that love.”
Sonia’s IVF Journey & Egg Donor
Sonia told Channel 9s MORNINGS about her long journey to have a baby, both naturally and via IVF, the disappointment of multiple miscarriages and her gratitude to her friend, who is the egg donor. “I wanted to be really clear on the show with our viewers, and let everyone know that I did go through IVF and I did have an egg donor,” Sonia explained. “When you get to my age, to use your own eggs to have a baby, you are not really going to be successful – the odds are one in a million. My doctors had been very clear with me because I have been through IVF before. I have a very good friend who gave me an egg, and that’s how this pregnancy came about. I’m thrilled to bits. I feel incredibly appreciative for what she did for me, and the fact that it worked, because for a long time I didn’t think it would.”
Sonia reveals the news to her co-host, David Campbell, in a video. David Campbell is expecting twins with his wife Lisa.
The Anxiety of Pregnancy after Miscarriage
While miscarriage is common, the majority go unreported, and many women struggle to enjoy and celebrate a subsequent pregnancy for months for fear of losing another baby. Sonia explained to Richard the excitement and anxiety that she’s experiencing after having previously miscarried. “I was really thrilled, but it was almost like I couldn’t let myself be happy because it had happened before – where I’d fallen pregnant, but the pregnancy hadn’t progressed,” Sonia told Richard. “So I was excited, but I was also filled with trepidation. I went for the first scan and I saw the first heartbeat, which I had never seen before, that was incredible. I thought, wow, this has never happened to me before. Then I became paranoid. In between scans I would become convinced that I would go for the next scan and there would be no heartbeat. But every time I’ve been for a scan, it’s been fine and the baby is doing brilliantly well. I know it’s still a long way to go, but fingers crossed everything is fine to the end.”
Sonia posted a cute pic of her in designer heels standing alongside a pair of baby booties! via her Twitter, @SoniaKruger, and Instagram, soniakruger…
The Fertility Expert
Sonia explained that after several failed IVF attempts and miscarriages, her decision to try again came after interviewing fertility specialist Dr Lynn Burmeister on MORNINGS. “She is known as the Baby Whisperer,” Sonia told Richard. “At that point, I hadn’t given up on trying, but I had taken a break – when you have disappointments, you need to let yourself get over that before you decide what you are going to do next. I spoke to Lynn about my situation and decided that we might give it another shot. She is incredible – one of the best fertility doctors in this country. If it were not for Dr Lynn Burmeister, I would not be sitting here today being interviewed on my own show!”
Being Pregnant at 48 – the Marvels of Science
Sonia said it was only thanks to modern science that she, and other women, are able to experience the gift of a baby later in life. “Thirty years ago, IVF was considered by a lot of people with a great deal of suspicion and questions about ethics,” she told Richard. “Now, there are thousands of women in this country and hundreds of thousands of women across the world going through IVF every day and assisted reproduction to have children, and it’s considered quite normal. In another few years, having an egg donor will also be considered to be normal.”
Tell us your thoughts on or experiences with IVF….
