Maria Menounos celebrates birth of first child via surrogate

Maria Menounos and her husband, Keven Undergaro, welcomed a daughter, Athena Alexandra, via surrogate after fertility struggles. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
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July 19 (UPI) -- Maria Menounos is a new mom.

The 45-year-old television personality and her husband, Keven Undergaro, welcomed their first child, daughter Athena Alexandra, via surrogate in June.

Menounos shared the news Wednesday in the new issue of Us Weekly.

"It was the most special moment of my life," Menounos said of her baby girl's birth. "The doctor literally grabbed her and hiked her onto me. I sat with her on my chest, and Keven and I kept looking at each other like, 'Oh, my God.' It was just pure joy."

"Athena is our miracle baby," she added. "I'm so grateful for her."

Maria Menounos attends the Wheels Up Super Saturday Tailgate party in 2019. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Maria Menounos attends the Wheels Up Super Saturday Tailgate party in 2019. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Menounos also confirmed the birth on Instagram.

Menounos and Undergo announced in February that they were expecting their first child via surrogate after 10 years of fertility struggles.

Maria Menounos attends the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes after-party in 2019. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI
Maria Menounos attends the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes after-party in 2019. File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI

"Just after a decade of trying everything, we are so grateful to the beautiful family helping us conceive our baby," Menounos said at the time.

In May, Menounos announced she was diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer in January and underwent a successful surgery to remove a 3.9 cm tumor on her pancreas.

Maria Menounos attends the Stand Up to Cancer benefit in 2018. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Maria Menounos attends the Stand Up to Cancer benefit in 2018. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

"I'm so grateful and so lucky," she told People. "God granted me a miracle. I'm going to appreciate having [my daughter] in my life so much more than I would have before this journey."

Menounos is known for her work with Extra and E! News.

Maria Menounos attends the NBA Awards in 2018. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI
Maria Menounos attends the NBA Awards in 2018. File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI