Bachelor star Colton Underwood, 32, has captivated audiences with his romantic endeavors on reality TV, but now he's embarking on a different kind of journey that leads to fatherhood.

Underwood turned to social media early Tuesday (May 21) morning to announce that he's expecting his first child with his 38-year-old husband, Jordan C. Brown. The happy couple will welcome a baby boy in October via surrogate. 

"Our little boy is coming this fall 💙," wrote Underwood on Instagram in a joint post with Men's Health. The carousel features snapshots of the sonogram and eye-opening statistics about infertility. 

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A post shared by Colton Brown-Underwood (@coltonunderwood)

The couple's path to parenthood has been marked by love, determination, and a shared dream of starting a family. Underwood, who gained fame as a contestant on The Bachelorette before headlining his own season of The Bachelor, revealed that fatherhood was a topic close to his heart from the early days of his relationship with Brown, a political and philanthropic strategist.

"That was one of the things we bonded over early in our relationship. We both wanted to be dads," Underwood told People, following their first wedding anniversary (May 13). "But it's been such an incredible experience for us to go through this together, and I cannot wait to watch Jordan become a dad." 

Their road to parenthood wasn't without its challenges. This desire only grew stronger as their relationship blossomed, leading them to embark on the journey of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy two years ago. Underwood candidly shared his personal struggles with fertility, breaking the stigma surrounding men's reproductive Health.

 "I've had some fertility issues and struggles, and I don't think a lot of men openly talk about that," he admitted. When they started the process two years ago, Underwood discovered that his "sperm was dead." 

"I think outside of the LGBTQ+ matters – the obvious discrimination and what's at stake for us – straight couples too, need to stop putting the blame on the women," he declared, referring to his infertility. "I think that's one thing that I could at least say, from two men going through this." 

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He continued to reflect on the challenging time, "Right away, my husband gets his results back for his sperm count, and he had incredible, great numbers, and I got mine back, and all my sperm was dead. And I think immediately I was just like, 'Oh, what does this mean? It means I'm sterile and can't have kids now.' And it was not a great feeling." 

The couple navigated through these obstacles with unwavering support for each other, ultimately finding success with the help of their surrogate.

The announcement of their impending parenthood brought immense joy and relief. Underwood recalled the emotional moment when their surrogate shared the news with them, underscoring the bond they've formed throughout the process.

When their surrogate revealed that they were pregnant, Underwood claimed it was a weight lifted off his shoulders—a miracle they had hoped for. 

"Our doctor actually let our surrogate tell us, which I thought was so special," he mentioned. "She got to text us and share the exciting news, and it was such a moment of I think, relief for us. We're so fortunate and lucky to have her, but her to make us feel a part of it too, it was really special." 

The couple decided to keep their surrogate identity private. Although they are keeping her name hush-hush, he told the publication that they have formed a tight-knit relationship. The two are not missing a beat, as they attended each doctor's appointment thus far. 

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"She's an incredible human being," he noted. "Family building isn't always black and white, so knowing that there's a percentage of loss and knowing that there's a percentage of complications that can happen is scary."

Their journey to parenthood signifies a new chapter filled with love, growth, and endless possibilities. As they await the arrival of their baby boy, Underwood and Brown's story serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, celebrating the transformative power of love and the joy of building a family together.

They are breaking barriers in IVF by highlighting that fertility issues are not exclusive to any one community, including LGBTQ+ individuals. Underwood candidly sharing his personal journey is  challenging the stigma that fertility problems are solely a female issue. This openness is fostering a broader conversation about male fertility and the unique challenges faced by same-sex couples. Their announcement has been met with overwhelming support, including heartfelt congratulations from Bachelor Nation members like Jason Tartick.

Photo Credit: @coltonunderwood on Instagram.