On this day: A pregnant man gives birth for the first time in history
Thomas Beatie showed off his baby bump on Oprah Winfrey's popular talk show. Photo: Twitter
Most men would be relieved their anatomy means they can avoid the excruciating pain of childbirth.
But not Thomas Beatie.
On this day in 2008, he became the world’s first pregnant man to give birth to a healthy baby girl.
The American, who is transsexual, was born a woman named Tracy Lagondino, but underwent gender reassignment surgery and now lives as a man.
The 46-year-old kept his female reproductive organs when he legally became a man 22 years ago following hormone treatment.
Thomas Beatie in hospital before the birth of his child. Photo: Twitter
His daughter Susan was conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and his own eggs.
At the time, Mr Beatie caused a media storm and suffered intense scrutiny when he first announced he was pregnant.
Thomas Beatie shocked the world when he became pregnant. Photo: Twitter
He first claimed he was pregnant in an article headlined ‘Labour of love’ in a gay magazine, Advocate, and later appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s US talk show.
“Different is normal and love makes a family,” Mr Beatie told Oprah.
“And that’s all that matters.”
His case was the first of its kind on record where a documented legal male gave birth within a heterosexual marriage to a woman, and for the first time, a court challenged a marriage where the husband gave birth.
Thomas Beatie and his daughter Susan in January 2020. Photo: Instagram
Mr Beatie said the reason behind his sexual transformation was because he had fallen in love with Nancy, 58, but Hawaiian law banned the couple from having a same-sex marriage.
To get around this, he decided to undergo a sex change.
Thomas Beatie and then wife Nancy with their three children Susan, Austin and Jensen. Photo: Getty
He began a course of hormone treatment and had surgery to remove mammary glands and to flatten his chest.
In 2006, Mr Beatie stopped his bimonthly hormone injections and resumed menstruating in an effort to have a child.
His wife was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy.
The couple went on two have two more children before filing for divorce in 2012.
Today, Mr Beatie works as a public speaker, author and advocate of transgender and sexuality issues, focusing on transgender fertility and reproductive rights.
He has had surgery to remove his external female parts, and he and his new wife Amber have since welcomed more children to the family.
The couple keeps the world updated on their journey regularly on their social media pages.