Only Murders In The Building star Selena Gomez has revealed that her ongoing health issues make it dangerous for her to carry her own children if she plans to do so.
The actress and singer made this announcement in an interview with Vanity Fair published on Monday, in which she talked about her role in the film “Emilia Pérez.” Gomez, 32, plays a young mother in the crime musical.
It also came up when Gomez was asked about her relationship with songwriter Benny Blanco, who told Howard Stern in May that he wants to have children in the future.
Gomez said her chronic health problems, including a lupus diagnosis that she made public, made it risky for her to carry a baby.
“I never said this, but unfortunately I cannot carry children of my own,” Gomez said. “I have many health problems that would endanger my life and the baby’s life. It was something I had to grieve for a while.”
Gomez did not elaborate on the complications that would make it difficult for her to safely carry her own children. She required a kidney transplant in 2017 and underwent chemotherapy to treat her lupus.
According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body, causing various complications, including organ damage.
Successful pregnancies are possible for people with lupus, but there is an increased risk of complications, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Complications include kidney problems, blood clots, high blood pressure that can lead to preeclampsia, and an increased risk of stillbirth.
“It is best to wait until your lupus is minimally active and your symptoms are well controlled with medications that are safe to take during pregnancy,” the foundation’s website states.
Gomez told Vanity Fair that although this was not how she imagined her children would be, she is “coping much better” with the situation.
“I feel blessed that there are wonderful people who are willing to do surrogacy or adoption, which are both great options for me,” Gomez said. “I’m really grateful for the other options for people who really want to become mothers. I’m one of those people.”
Gomez’s own mother was adopted, she said. She added that it doesn’t matter how her children come into her life because “it will be my baby.”
