Selena Gomez, known for her openness about mental and physical health struggles throughout her two-decade career, has revealed a deeply personal challenge she has faced—her inability to carry her own children due to medical issues.
“I haven’t ever said this,” the “Emilia Perez” actress shared in an interview with Vanity Fair. “But I unfortunately can’t carry my own children. I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby’s in jeopardy.” She added, “That was something I had to grieve for a while.”
In 2013, Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. This led her to undergo chemotherapy, and in 2017, at the age of 24, she received a kidney transplant due to complications arising from the disease.
Reflecting on her journey to motherhood, Gomez noted, “It’s not necessarily the way I envisioned it. I thought it would happen the way it happens for everyone. [But] I’m in a much better place with that now. I find it a blessing that there are wonderful people willing to do surrogacy or adoption, which are both huge possibilities for me.”
Gomez has a personal connection to adoption as her mother, Mandy Teefey, was adopted. “I probably wouldn’t be here if my mom wasn’t adopted. I don’t know what her life would’ve been like. She and I are very thankful for how life played out.”
Grateful for the options available, the “Only Murders in the Building” star feels fortunate. “It made me really thankful for the other outlets for people who are dying to be moms. I’m one of those people,” she admitted. “I’m excited for what that journey will look like, but it’ll look a little different. At the end of the day, I don’t care. It’ll be mine. It’ll be my baby.”
Prior to meeting her current boyfriend, music producer Benny Blanco, in July 2023, Gomez had been single for five years. Even during her single years, she had her heart set on starting a family by the age of 35.
“Before I met my boyfriend, I was single for five years, with the exception of going on a few dates,” she shared. “And I was like, ‘OK, if this is the vibe, then what is the most important thing to me? Family.’”
Gomez, who has previously dated high-profile celebrities like Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, and Nick Jonas, spoke warmly of her relationship with Blanco. “I’ve never been loved this way,” she said. “He’s just been a light. A complete light in my life. He’s my best friend. I love telling him everything.”
Despite her happiness with Blanco, Gomez is in no rush to walk down the aisle. “We always make sure we’re protecting what we have, but there’s no rules,” she explained. “I want him to always be himself. I always want to be myself.”
Staying true to herself is essential for Gomez, and that includes keeping her name. “I’m not changing my name no matter what. I am Selena Gomez. That’s it.”
