Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg And Wife Priscilla Chan Expecting First Child

On Friday, the creator and billionaire owner of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that he and his wife are expecting their first child. The platform used to make the joyous announcement was none other than Facebook itself, and the post was a truly moving one. Zuckerberg revealed that he and wife, Priscilla Chan, have been trying for a few years to have a child and, unfortunately, have suffered a few miscarriages along the way.

Chan and Zuckerberg were married in 2012, and it was only last year Priscilla had stated it would take some time before they were ready for children. Us Magazine reported that the statement was made during an exclusive interview Chan gave on the Today show. She did express that they would love to have children, but it was just that with her still in med school and Mark focused on his empire, it was not the right time. The post that Zuckerberg made regarding the exciting news that they are now expecting did, however, shed new light on the couple’s struggle.

“We want to share one experience to start,” Zuckerberg posted. “We’ve been trying to have a child for a couple of years and have had three miscarriages along the way. You feel so hopeful when you learn you’re going to have a child. You start imagining who they’ll become and dreaming of hopes for their future. You start making plans, and then they’re gone. It’s a lonely experience.”

Zuckerberg continued the post lamenting that in this age of connectivity, it should create an environment that fosters sharing and brings people closer together.

“Priscilla and I have some exciting news: we’re expecting a baby girl! This will be a new chapter in our lives,” Zuckerberg began his post.

He also added the above photo of his family to the Facebook post.

“Most people don’t discuss miscarriages because you worry your problems will distance you or reflect upon you — as if you’re defective or did something to cause this. So you struggle on your own… We hope that sharing our experience will give more people the same hope we felt and will help more people feel comfortable sharing their stories as well.”

Zuckerberg also advised that he and wife Priscilla are expecting a baby girl, though they have not released the name of the unborn child, nor the expected due date for their bundle of joy. Zuckerberg shared that Priscilla is far enough along in the pregnancy that the risk of another miscarriage is very low. The couple’s famously shaggy Hungarian Sheepdog, Beast, is featured in the picture Zuckerberg released along with the post. Mark also jokingly stated that Beast won’t know what hit him and that an ultrasound of his little girl had her giving him a thumbs up.

In their coverage, ET Online admired how Zuckerberg and Chan shared the news about becoming parents with excitement, despite the previous tragedies. The couple plan to focus on helping to create a better world for their daughter.

[Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize]