'Pregnant' man gives birth to baby girl

A transsexual who was born a woman but now lives as a man, has given birth to a baby girl. American Thomas Beatie went into labour early on June 29 and had to be rushed to hospital.

The 34-year-old kept his female reproductive organs when he legally became a man 10 years ago following hormone treatment. His baby girl was conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own eggs.

On Friday Beatie told People magazine, his new born was "healthy and doing well". He added: "The only thing different is that I can't breast-feed my baby But a lot of mothers don't."

Beatie, born Tracy Lagondino in Hawaii, caused a media storm when he first announced he was pregnant. He claimed the reason for his sexual transformation was because he had fallen in love with his now wife Nancy 46. Under Hawaiian law the couple was unable to have a same-sex marriage so Beatie decided to undergo a sex change. He began a course of hormone treatment and had surgery to remove mammary glands and to flatten his chest.

Two years ago, Beatie halted his bi- monthly hormone htiections and resumed menstruating in a bid to have a child. His wife, whom he married five years ago, was unable to conceive because of a hysterectomy.

Last Sunday the new family was discharged from the St Charles Medical Centre in Bend, Oregon. Just weeks before the birth, Beatie said: "Having this baby doesn't make me less of a man. I'm just looking forward to holding her for the first time, to finally get to touch and see her face."