WASHINGTON: Padma Lakshmi, former wife of famed author Salman Rushdie and host of popular TV show "Top Chef", is pregnant with her first child, media reports said.
Lakshmi, 39, has not identified the father, CNN reported Thursday. Her representative told US Weekly that the television personality conceived after a long battle with endometriosis.
"Model, author, and Emmy-nominated Padma Lakshmi confirms that she is carrying her first child after years of struggling with endometriosis, a cause for which she has co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America," the representative told the magazine.
Endometriosis is a medical condition where the uterus' lining grows in other areas of the body. The often painful condition can cause women to have irregular bleeding and possible infertility.
Lakshmi's publicist also told US Weekly: "As a result of her condition, this pregnancy has been referred to by her physician as nothing short of a medical miracle, and due to its delicate nature, we ask/implore the press to respect Lakshmi's privacy at this time."
Lakshmi has hosted Bravo's hit show "Top Chef" since its second season and is herself a noted cookbook author.