Matthew McConaughey to be a father

Matthew McConaughey has announced that he is to be a father.

The actor's girlfriend Camila Alves, a Brazilian model, is pregnant with the couple's first child.

McConaughey, 38, wrote on his website: "Camila and I made a baby together, it's three months grown in her womb and all looks healthy and lively so far.

"We are stoked and wowed by this miracle of creation and this gift from God, and so excited for the adventure that will come in raising this child, being a mother and a father, and [guiding] him or her through this life...

"From mums and dads, to family, to community, it takes the best will and support from everyone to raise the healthiest children we have in society."

He urged fans to send the couple positive thoughts, saying: "Wish us the best, keep us in your prayers, and God bless evolution... thanks for bein' fans of me and my work and now this new and miraculous chapter in my life, as me and Camila and our child do our best to just keep livin'."

McConaughey has been dating Alves since he split with actress Penelope Cruz in mid-2006.