Iron Chef Cat Cora, lesbian partner both pregnant

By Hanh Nguyen

March 10, 2009 2:35 PM

Iron Chef Cat Cora and her partner have figured out a way to maximize their birth output.

The Food Network star and her lesbian partner Jennifer are both pregnant with due dates only three months apart, it was announced Monday, March 9. The couple already has two sons Zoran, 5, and Caje, 23 months, together.

"Jennifer and I are thrilled to go through the wonderful experience of pregnancy together. We started the in-vitro process [five] years ago," says Cora, 41, in a statement. "This has been a miracle for us and we'll now have [four] beautiful children."

This is the first pregnancy for Cora, who is due in July. Her partner Jennifer, 37, delivered their first two sons and is also currently pregnant with a boy, due in April.

All four boys have the same sperm donor, so they are biological brothers.

Keeping track of their maternal lineage is a little trickier since at some point each woman has carried the other's child in a unique surrogate arrangement. Zoran and the baby Cat is carrying come from Jennifer's eggs, but Caje was the result of Cat's eggs. In Jennifer's current pregnancy, both women's embryos were transferred, so it's not clear if the child she is carrying is her own or Cat's.

They don't plan on conducting a DNA test to determine the baby's biological mother.

Cora is a third-generation restauranteur, the only female Iron Chef on Iron Chef: America and the executive chef of Bon Apetit.

Your thoughts on the women playing surrogate for each other? Is this too confusing?

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| Comments (55)

55 Comments

This is a perfect arrangement. The only way they would need to worry about who the mother is would be in a medical emergency. I like that plan.

Mandy | March 10, 2009 3:35 PM

Gross.

Hugh | March 10, 2009 4:35 PM

VERY WEIRD

eric | March 10, 2009 5:27 PM

Very unorthodox!

Richard | March 10, 2009 5:31 PM

This is so messed up. Those poor kids. And just wait until one or both of the "parents" realizes they were never gay to begin with. Already a broken home, and then one that will be split again. None of this will end well. That's why we need to work to stop this kind of perversion.

Allison | March 10, 2009 6:54 PM

For the others it is weird but for me it is cool..I like their idea to feel the same experienced for both partners..

Pregnancy | March 10, 2009 7:28 PM

unorthodox, sure.... But in reality the comment by Allison is the sad issue. As a straight married person I'm more than comfortable admitting marriages like mine (and Allison's) are much more likely to end than those in gay community that went to trouble of a union at all... "Perversion" huh Ally? Prop 8 still existing is the true perversion.

Ellis | March 10, 2009 10:57 PM

What can I say? I'm amazed, I never thought it's possible. ;D

wow gold | March 11, 2009 1:12 AM

Yes, "Allison," let's "work to stop this perversion," since your principals of hate and bigotry toward anyone living their lives in a manner different from the one you do are surely the foundations of freedom and tolerance this country was founded on.

Jeff | March 11, 2009 6:20 AM

I'm slightly ashamed of myself for clicking the link. I clicked because I like Cat Cora on Iron Chef and was surprised to find out she was gay.

But how is their reproductive issues any of our business?

The only people who should care what baby came from what egg are the parents.

If the babies are raised in love by caring people, how can that be a bad thing?

Lisa | March 11, 2009 6:30 AM