Lakshmi pregnancy "a medical miracle"

A rep for Padma Lakshmi has confirmed that the 39-year-old is pregnant with her first child.

The Top Chef presenter had struggled with endometriosis, a medical condition which causes possible infertility when the uterus' lining grows in other areas of the body. Her pregnancy has been hailed as a "medical miracle", Us Weekly reports.

"As a result of her condition, this pregnancy has been referred to by her physician as nothing short of a medical miracle, and due to its delicate nature, we ask/implore the press to respect Ms Lakshmi's privacy at this time," the spokesperson explained.

The former model was previously married for three years to author Salman Rushdie until they divorced in 2007. The identity of the baby's father has not been disclosed.

Lakshmi's fellow Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio and wife Lori Silverbush welcomed a baby boy named Luka in August.