The Big Story - What Does It Take Το Βε A Mother?

It certainly goes way beyond having a womb or even being a woman. Once you are given a child, they say, it is about letting your heart walk outside your body. It's about the pride you feel about every small thing your child achieves, and your despair every time your child is sick_ The people who feature on the following pages have mothered their children (and pets) in varying circumstances and prove to us that motherhood is just that being a mother

PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS ACTOR AND GLOBAL ICON

“WE ARE OVERJOYED TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE WELCOMED A BABY VIA SURROGATE”

Normalising surrogacy, PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS embraced motherhood and broke stereotypes that women can’t become mothers after a certain age

When it comes to having a baby, there are options beyond conceiving naturally, if one’s health, body or lifestyle does not permit it. Many are turning to surrogacy or in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). In the past, Bollywood celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta have been open about welcoming their children via surrogacy. The latest to do so is global icon Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Earlier this year, the actor and her husband, singer Nick Jonas, surprised their fans by announcing that they had welcomed a baby on January 22 via surrogacy. The announcement came four years after their wedding.

The couple shared the news on social media, saying, “We are overjoyed to confirm that we have welcomed a baby via surrogate. We respectfully ask for privacy during this special time as we focus on our family. Thank you so much.” The actor, who has often spoken of her desire to have children, revealed that both she and Jonas wanted to have kids, and that they were ready for the change of pace that comes with having a baby. “Family is a big part of my life. It’s always been a part of my dreams,” she said in an interview, “And I’ll take what I get, you know? Leave it up to the God almighty.”

Months later, they announced the arrival of their daughter, who is named Malti Marie Chopra Jonas.