Sharnelle Vella has revealed she is expecting her first child with husband Nicholas Koutrigaros.
The ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast host, 36, broke down in tears while announcing the news on air on Wednesday, as she also revealed a harrowing fertility struggle.
Sharnelle tearfully admitted that she had suffered a miscarriage and several failed attempts at IVF before being diagnosed with endometriosis.
‘Nicholas and I have been married for four years, and for the longest time we have wanted to start a family. For some, falling pregnant happens quickly; for others it is a process that takes years,’ she said.
‘The journey is filled with constant highs and lows, medical appointments become a second full-time job and for many those years contain loss and unimaginable grief.
‘Our story is the latter.’
Sharnelle Vella has revealed she is expecting her first child with husband Nicholas Koutrigaros
Sharnelle added that what she thought would happen quickly, turned into ‘years of specialist appointments’.
‘A nurse encouraged me to ask for more tests after miscarriage and multiple failed rounds,’ she said.
‘A simple blood test revealed mild inflammation in my pelvic region. I was told a laparoscopy – keyhole surgery through my abdomen – would be the only way to confirm what was happening. The suspicion was very, very mild endometriosis.’
Sharnelle added that she wasn’t convinced she had endometriosis as she had never experienced any symptoms.
‘In March this year I was admitted to the Royal Women’s Hospital for what was supposed to be a 20-minute procedure,’ she said.
‘I immediately knew something was wrong when I woke up in recovery four hours later.’
She said that her and Nicholas’s worst fears were realised when she was diagnosed with stage four endometriosis.
‘I asked: “Did you find anything?” He [the doctor] half-laughed, shook his head and said a sentence that will stay with me forever: “Sharnelle, you have stage four endometriosis – we were cutting it out of you for three hours’.”
The ABC Radio Melbourne Breakfast host, 36, broke down tears as she announced the news on air Wednesday as she also revealed a harrowing fertility struggle
‘”How many stages are there?” I asked. “There are four,” he replied. Put simply, I was riddled with it.’
Sharnelle then revealed that after such a harrowing journey she fell pregnant in June.
‘Since then, in June this year, following my surgery, Nicholas and I have fallen pregnant. On our own, no appointments, no doctors, no injections,’ she said before breaking down.
‘I’m sorry, I swear I’m really happy,’ she said.
The presenter added that, while over the moon with the news, the couple are also ‘terrified’.
‘Our baby girl is due next year. We are beyond overjoyed, but we are also terrified,’ she said.
‘We are still trying to contain our excitement because when you’ve been on the road of infertility, you always prepare for bad news.
‘You put your life on hold, you don’t take holidays because… what if you need another round? You don’t take new jobs because what if you do fall pregnant? You commit to nothing except this journey.’
‘Our baby girl is due next year. We are beyond overjoyed, but we are also terrified,’ she said
Sharnelle added that she shared her story to offer ‘hope’ to couples in a similar situation as well as to raise awareness of endometriosis.
‘Our journey to get here hasn’t been easy, but we’re grateful for the support of our loved ones and friends,’ she said.
‘We hope our story can offer hope to others navigating endometriosis and infertility.’
Sharnelle also took to Instagram on Wednesday to reveal the news to followers, sharing photos of her and Nicholas in which the host is seen cradling her burgeoning baby bump.
‘Small Queen coming in 2026,’ she captioned the post, which was met with an outpouring of support and congratulations.
