I cringe with shame as I write this, but before I read her interview in People magazine, I had never heard of Adrienne Bailon-Houghton. There, I’ve said it. I got it off my chest. On to business. 

Ms Bailon is a 40-year-old American actress, singer, television personality, and businesswoman. She recently married musician Israel Houghton, a Christian singer, songwriter, producer and worship leader and became stepmother to his six children from three previous relationships. Understandably she wanted a child of her own. 

She had been trying for six years. She didn’t realise that it would be so difficult. “I think that as an audience we should be sensitive to the fact that everybody doesn’t get pregnant right away,” she said on a TV show. “I think for myself I thought it would happen so easily for me and it just hasn’t happened that way.”

She went through eight rounds of IVF and countless attempts with artificial insemination. 

Finally, 20 months ago, a boy, Adam, arrived. With the help of an “angel surrogate”, that is.

How much did it all cost? North of US$1 million. 

“And that is not realistic for the average person. And I recognize that,” Ms Bailon told People.

But, she says, “He is worth every tear, every disappointment, every delayed prayer, every IVF cycle, every miscarriage. Everything.” 

Who was the surrogate? We don’t know. How much was she paid? We don’t know. Will she have a role in Adam’s life. Almost certainly not.