A year ago, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra welcomed their daughter, Malti Marie, through a surrogate, which raised a lot of eyebrows and sparked rumors about their relationship.
"I've developed a tough hide when people talk about me," Chopra told British Vogue. "But it's so painful when they talk about my daughter. I'm like, 'Keep her out of it.'"
Apparently, the reason why Jonas and Chopra resorted to surrogacy was because of the actress' health.
"I had medical complications. This was a necessary step, and I'm so grateful I was in a position where I could do this," the former Miss World said. "Our surrogate was so generous, kind, lovely and funny, and she took care of this precious gift for us for six months."
She shut down the criticisms against her by declaring, "you don't know me! You don't know what I've been through. And just because I don't want to make my medical history, or my daughter's, public doesn't give you the right to make up whatever the reasons were."
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Complicated
After becoming a mother, the 40-year-old has proudly shared the milestones of her baby with the world through Instagram, and people have seen just how devoted she is.
"I know what it felt like to hold her little hands when they were trying to find her veins. So no, she's not going to be gossip," she said with finality.
"I've been really protective of this chapter of my life with my daughter. Because it's not about my life only. It's hers too."
According to Buzzfeed, Malti was born prematurely and had to spend the first three months of her life outside the womb in the NICU.
"I was in the OR when she came out. She was so small, smaller than my hand," Chopra continued. "I saw what the intensive care nurses do. They do God's work. Nick and I were both standing there as they intubated her. I don't know how they even found what they needed [in her tiny body] to intubate her."
This is the first time the actress/model addressed the rumors and controversies surrounding surrogacy.
Billboard notes that netizens accused the couple of passing up on traditional pregnancy for the sake of aesthetics or vanity.
However, it is clear that both Jonas and Chopra are perfectly happy with their family of three, and that they have found support in each other.
"I get affirmations from [Nick] all the time, to remind me of my value when I forget or when I get insecure. He just sees through the fog for me. He sees the best in people."
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