By Alison Crombie
Pictures: Regine Mahaux/Kristian Dowling/Getty Images
Pregnant Thomas Beatie shares his excitement at giving birth to a little girl, and being a father…
Sex-change patient Thomas Beatie hit the headlines when he revealed his pregnancy to the world.
Thomas, 34, from the north-west US state of Oregon, was born a woman and formerly known as Tracy Lagondino. Following gender reassignment surgery, he’s now legally male but chose to keep his female reproductive organs intact. His wife Nancy, whom he married in 2003, had a hysterectomy, so she couldn’t carry a child.
But Thomas’s first pregnancy — like this one, achieved through artificial insemination at home — ended in drama. He had an ectopic pregnancy with triplets, and the surgery to save his life removed all the embryos and his right fallopian tube. Happily, this pregnancy has been trouble-free.
And just like all parents, the couple are full of enthusiasm for the arrival of their baby girl.
Congratulations on your daughter’s imminent arrival. How has the pregnancy been?
It has been excellent. I’m 36 weeks pregnant, so almost due, but I feel fantastic. I’ve been so lucky — I didn’t have ailments or discomforts. I feel on top of the world. We’re so excited for her arrival. I just can’t wait to hold her in my arms and be a father.
Was it difficult to adjust to being pregnant? What did you find hard?
I have actually been very fortunate. When I became pregnant, I went online and read how a lot of women suffer from a lot of pain in their back, but I haven’t had any of that. It has been remarkably easy.
Did you find the scans an emotional experience?
Oh incredibly. It made our bond even stronger. To be able to see her face, her lips, her body … she went from being a figment of hope to a real person, our baby. The experience has been very special.
For the full interview, see this week’s Woman’s Day (on sale June 23, 2008).
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