Polygamist Musa Mseleku's third wife, MaKhumalo recently tweeted:
If you could be granted one wish what would it be? A healthy baby is on top of my prayer list
— Makhumalo Mseleku (@MakhumsMseleku) June 30, 2017
Not that it should be anyone's business, but many wondered why the popular wife from the hit show, Uthando neS'thembu, did not have kids.
But the latest episode from the show finally shed some light on fertility issues the couple has faced. In short, owing to two ectopic pregnancies, MaKhumalo's fallopian tubes had to be removed, affecting her ability to naturally conceive.
The 28-year-old, AKA "the wife of the nation", has received an outpouring of support on social media, with some even calling for national prayer day for 'our national treasure.'
It's emotional
The effects of infertility are real, says infertility specialist, Tertia Albertyn. She told HuffPost SA: "There are physical and psychological challenges that only you go through."
Award-winning parenting and lifestyle blogger Sharon van Wyk said it was the type of trauma one can't really appreciate or understand unless they've been there.
South African women in a study on infertility also attested to this. They expressed feeling burning pain, anger, bitterness, guilt, loneliness and desperation. "Wanting a child was their only wish" and "They were prepared to do anything."
Something MaKhumalo also shared with her husband on the episode.
This is what I call Reality TV, all real, nothing scripted #uthandonesthembupic.twitter.com/6pxABo2wHJ
— The T Man (@Ooglermarc) July 7, 2017
Mseleku was also commended for not putting pressure on his wife. "Please know there's no pressure from my side," he told her.
There are options
MaKhumalo's gynaecologist told her that there are other options such as in vitro fertilisation and surrogacy, something that was also pointed out on social media:
Given how cultural Mseleku is weeeh it would be interesting ukuzwa umbono wakhe
— Makhumalo Mseleku (@MakhumsMseleku) June 30, 2017
So, MaKhumalo, while you possibly mull over other ways to conceive, please know that you are not any less of a woman, a wife or a mother just because your womb has carried no child. As Oprah Winfrey famously said: "Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother."
And rest assured, your status as wife of the nation AKA national treasure AKA everyone's wife, remains intact.