Flip or Flop star Christina Anstead was not expecting to be pregnant when she and husband Ant Anstead got home from their Bora Bora honeymoon, but she claims acupuncture made her “miracle baby” possible.
Anstead, 35, was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in 2009. The condition causes the ovaries to produce more androgens, male sex hormones that are only usually present in women in low levels. Her doctors told her she would need to take hormone therapy if she wanted more children. However, she and ex-husband Tarek El Moussa welcomed daughter Taylor in 2010. She suffered a miscarriage and had two failed in vitro fertilization attempts before their son Brayden was born in 2015.
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Anstead told PEOPLE this week that alternative medicine helped her conceive with Ant, 40.
“I went to an acupuncturist to help me deal with stress,” the Christina on the Coast star said.
During the first appointment, “I explained to the woman that I had polycystic ovaries. She told me, ‘Oh, I used to have that too. I think I can help.’ She did some needle work, and six days later we conceived,” she told PEOPLE.
Anstead admitted there is no way of really knowing the acupuncture helped her conceive, but admitted, “I just find it fascinating.”
In March, Anstead announced she and Ant are expecting their first baby together by sharing a photo of the newleyweds hugging with Anstead holding a sonogram photo.
Anstead later opened up about how difficult her first trimester was when she posted a baby bump photo in March.
“Now that I can talk about [it] … The first trimester was brutal!!! Maybe it’s my age (35- considered a geriatric pregnancy) [laughing out loud]… or maybe I just forgot how bad it was with Tay and Bray.. but yikes it really blind sided me,” Anstead wrote on Instagram.
She continued, “Nausea, exhaustion, too many food aversions, too many carbs…. anyways I’m officially back to feeling somewhat normal. Going to try and enjoy the second trimester while it’s here. Thank you to my amazing husband for being so supportive while his new bride was complaining and a little more cray than usual.”
The couple surprisingly married in December, almost a year after El Moussa and Anstead finalized their divorce.
Despite the divorce, El Moussa and Anstead still filmed an eighth season of Flip or Flop for HGTV. Anstead also stars in Christina on the Coast, which debuts on HGTV on May 23. El Moussa is also developing a solo show.
Photo credit: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
