Kim Kardashian's journey to expanding her family with former husband Kanye West was anything but conventional, involving a deeply personal and medically necessary decision to use a gestational carrier. This choice was driven by severe, life-threatening health complications from her first two pregnancies, pushing the global media personality into the complex world of third-party reproduction. As of December 12, 2025, the public continues to be fascinated by the details of this process, particularly the identity and experience of the women who helped bring her two youngest children into the world.
The decision to use a surrogate for her third and fourth children—Chicago West and Psalm West—was a public and emotional one, documented on her reality show, *Keeping Up with the Kardashians* (KUWTK). While the topic of surrogacy is often shrouded in privacy, Kim Kardashian and her family openly discussed the medical necessity, the emotional disconnect she initially felt, and the profound gratitude she held for the selfless women who acted as gestational carriers.
Kim Kardashian: A Profile in Brief
Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. She is an American media personality, socialite, businesswoman, and model who first garnered widespread media attention as a stylist to the stars before her 2007 reality television debut.
- Full Name: Kimberly Noel Kardashian
- Born: October 21, 1980 (Age 45 as of late 2025)
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Parents: Kris Jenner and Robert Kardashian (deceased)
- Children: Four (North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm)
- Notable Businesses: SKIMS (shapewear/clothing), KKW Beauty (now SKKN by Kim), KKW Fragrance.
- Career Highlights: Star of *Keeping Up with the Kardashians* (2007–2021) and *The Kardashians* (2022–present); pursuing a legal career.
- Education: Attended Pierce College, later began a four-year law apprenticeship in California.
The Life-Threatening Medical Condition That Forced the Decision
The primary reason Kim Kardashian chose to use a surrogate for her last two children was due to severe complications during the pregnancies of her first two children, North West and Saint West. These were not minor issues; they were life-threatening conditions that made a third natural pregnancy medically unsafe.
Preeclampsia and Placenta Accreta: The Dual Threat
During her first pregnancy with daughter North, Kim was diagnosed with Preeclampsia, a serious condition characterized by high blood pressure and damage to another organ system, most often the liver and kidneys.
The second and more dangerous condition she developed was Placenta Accreta. This is a high-risk pregnancy complication where the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall. After giving birth to Saint, doctors confirmed that carrying another child would likely result in the placenta growing through the uterine wall and potentially into other organs, which could lead to severe hemorrhage and require a hysterectomy, or worse.
Kim underwent multiple procedures in an attempt to repair her uterus, but ultimately, doctors advised her that carrying a third child was too risky. The only medically viable option for her and Kanye West to have more biological children was through a gestational carrier.
The Two Surrogates: Chicago and Psalm’s Carriers
Kim and Kanye West used two different gestational carriers for their two youngest children, Chicago and Psalm. It is important to note the correct terminology: a gestational carrier is a woman who carries an embryo created from the intended parents' egg and sperm (making the child biologically theirs), as opposed to a traditional surrogate, who uses her own egg.
1. The Surrogate for Chicago West (Born January 2018)
The woman who carried their third child, daughter Chicago West, was identified in several reports as La'Reina Haynes.
- Identity: La'Reina Haynes
- Background: A wife and mother of two from San Diego.
- Motivation: Sources indicated her motivation for surrogacy was to "bless someone's family with the gift of a child."
- Public Appearance: The carrier appeared briefly on *Keeping Up with the Kardashians*, where she was seen hugging Kris Jenner, though her face was often obscured to protect her privacy.
Kim spoke about her relationship with Chicago's carrier, stating she was "so easy to deal with" and that they had an open, close relationship. The carrier was present at Chicago’s birth, and Kim was in the room when the baby was delivered.
2. The Surrogate for Psalm West (Born May 2019)
The couple’s fourth child, son Psalm West, was born via a different gestational carrier.
- Reason for Change: Kim had to hire a new surrogate for Psalm because the woman who carried Chicago became pregnant with her own child, making her unavailable for a subsequent transfer.
- Identity: The second carrier’s identity was kept strictly private and has not been publicly revealed.
- The Experience: Kim noted that her experience with the second surrogate was different. While she maintained respect and gratitude, she admitted the process of surrogacy in general was emotionally challenging.
The Emotional Complexity of the Surrogacy Journey
While Kim Kardashian often refers to surrogacy as the "best decision she's ever made" because it allowed her to have her two youngest children, she has also been candid about the emotional difficulties involved.
She openly discussed feeling a sense of disconnect during the pregnancies, particularly because she couldn't experience the physical changes and the bond that comes with carrying a child. She once admitted that she found the process of surrogacy "harder than natural pregnancy" because she had to surrender control and trust the process entirely.
This emotional duality is a crucial part of her story. On one hand, surrogacy was a medical miracle that completed her family. On the other, it forced her to grieve the loss of the physical experience of pregnancy, a feeling many intended parents who use gestational carriers can relate to.
Ultimately, Kim Kardashian’s public sharing of her journey—from the terrifying reality of Placenta Accreta to the complexities of navigating IVF and gestational carrier contracts—has helped demystify the process for millions. Her story, which involves her entire family, including her mother Kris Jenner and sisters, highlights the incredible lengths one will go to for the gift of motherhood.
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