Shay Johnson is pregnant! The Love & Hip Hop: Miami star shared the exciting news on Instagram, debuting her growing baby bump on the new cover of Kontrol Magazine’s Mompreneur issue.
“I have kept this secret for months but I am now proud to announce I am pregnant with my first child. I’ve wanted a baby for so long and it is finally happening. Thank you @kontrolmag for sharing this moment with me. Thank you to all of my friends and family who kept my secret and made sure this moment was everything I wanted it to be. I’m excited to be a new mom and start my new journey with my new blessing.”
Shay also revealed the gender of her baby, saying, “ITS A GIRL!! I’m going to be a mommy. So excited!!!”
The road to motherhood hasn’t been easy for the 38-year-old reality star. In 2019, Johnson revealed that her fertility was being compromised by two large fibroids, one the size of a grapefruit. Shay experienced symptoms that included blood clots “larger than the palm of her hand” and fainting spells due to anemia.
“I had every last symptom X’s 10!” she said in an Instagram post. “Other symptoms included my anemia which increased because my iron was extremely low do to heavy long extended [menstruation]. My menstrual would last up to 14 days. When I was normal it was it six days. I was also advised at the rate my tumor was growing it would affect me having children.
She continued, “Not only that I started hemorrhaging and fainting which at that point I needed blood transfusions. This was the worst. I understand how common fibroids are in women but unfortunately I had a very bad case worse than average. I felt like something was growing in me bigger then a softball and it was growing monthly. I couldn’t sleep most nights as it got worst. Lastly as far as a Relationship well that was non existent for me because I was embarrassed and didn’t want to bring anyone into my situation. It took over my life at one point.”
Shay later underwent a myomectomy to remove the benign tumors. Now as a USA Fibroid Centers ambassador, Johnson encourages women to speak up about fibroid disease and help spread awareness about the minimally invasive UFE procedure that safeguards reproductive health, especially among young women.
“Experiencing fibroids was the most painful, depressing experience ever,” said Johnson, who is 6 months pregnant. “I went through it for a reason. It’s time we have more conversations around fibroid disease.”
Photos: Kontrol Magazine
