Pregnant man Thomas Beatie photos

'Pregnant Man' Thomas Beatie Splits From Wife Nancy: Why The Break-Up After 9 Years

Thomas Beatie, the world's first 'pregnant man' who was also the first known man to give birth to a child back in 2008, has reportedly split from his wife of nine years. The 38-year-old announced the break-up while taping an episode of "The Doctors," which will air on May 7.

"At the moment, we're separated," Beatie said.

While Beatie did not say whether or not he and Nancy would divorce after 9 years together -- the couple wed in Hawaii back in 2003 -- he did mention that this break-up could be temporary.

"Like all marriages, we have our ups and downs, and we're going through a rough patch right now," Beattie said.

Beatie also revealed during "The Doctors" taping that he has also undergone his final female-to-male gender reassignment surgery, completing a process he began in 2002. Beatie added an artificial penis (through a surgery known as "phalloplasty"), but he ultimately decided to keep his female reproductive organs where they are.

"Nancy hasn't seen the new me yet," Beatie said.

Back in 2007, Beatie was still transitioning -- physically and legally -- to being a man. He had switched to a male identity, but his female reproductive organs were preserved for some time. Since Nancy -- 49 years old at the time --- couldn't get pregnant after a hysterectomy, Beatie decided he would be the one to deliver. He gained fame when pictures of his pregnant belly and beard went public.

"If Nancy could get pregnant, I wouldn't be doing this," Beatie told PEOPLE at the time. "Who hires a surrogate if they are perfectly capable of carrying their own child?"

In April 2008, Beatie wrote a first-hand account of his experiences as the world's first pregnant man, which was published in "The Advocate" that month:

"To our neighbors, my wife, Nancy, and I don't appear in the least unusual," Beatie said. "To those in the quiet Oregon community where we live, we are viewed just as we are -- a happy couple deeply in love. Our desire to work hard, buy our first home, and start a family was nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until we decided that I would carry our child.

"I am transgender, legally male, and legally married to Nancy. Unlike those in same-sex marriages, domestic partnerships, or civil unions, Nancy and I are afforded the more than 1,100 federal rights of marriage. Sterilization is not a requirement for sex reassignment, so I decided to have chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy but kept my reproductive rights. Wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire."

Beatie detailed how Nancy needed a hysterectomy after suffering from severe endometriosis, but that he had always wanted a child. He got a successful custom screen-printing business off the ground, and he then decided that the timing was finally right for a baby.

"I stopped taking my bimonthly testosterone injections," Beatie said. "It had been roughly eight years since I had my last menstrual cycle, so this wasn't a decision that I took lightly. My body regulated itself after about four months, and I didn't have to take any exogenous estrogen, progesterone, or fertility drugs to aid my pregnancy."

Beatie described the opposition he felt at the time:

"Our situation sparks legal, political, and social unknowns," Beatie said. "Doctors have discriminated against us, turning us away due to their religious beliefs. Health care professionals have refused to call me by a male pronoun or recognize Nancy as my wife. Receptionists have laughed at us. Friends and family have been unsupportive; most of Nancy's family doesn't even know I'm transgender."

Finally, on July 11, 2008, Beatie delivered a healthy baby girl named Susan -- not via Cesarian section -- becoming the world's first known man to give birth.

TMZ reported Beatie's delivery at the hospital was very "cloak and dagger":

"He checked into the hospital in Bend, Ore. under a fake name after going into labor early Monday morning and his room was sealed off, away from other expectant moms," TMZ said.

Since Susan, Beatie had given birth to two sons before July 2010, Austin and Jensen. All three children were created through artificial insemination using donor sperm.

It's not clear if Beatie and his wife will be able to get through their "rough patch," but more information will be revealed on the May 7 episode of "The Doctors."

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