Lena Dunham and musician husband welcome first child via surrogacy

Dunham, 40, revealed the happy news that she and her musician husband have welcomed a daughter via surrogate, after a 12 year struggle to be a mother.

The birth was announced in an op-ed in Vogue, where Lena also revealed that her daughter came 13 days later than expected.

The actress said that her first words to the baby girl were: "I'm your mama. You…you look nothing like I thought you would, but exactly right. We've been waiting for you, do you know that? It was so nice of you to come."

Lena Dunham at the 2026 Met Gala

AFP/Getty

Dunham underwent a hysterectomy in 2018 at the age of 31 after enduring years of pain, and has spoken openly about her health journey.

Endometriosis is a long term condition where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body, according to the NHS website.

Dunham told The Times in July 2025 that she wanted to grow her family, adding that while she and her husband explored their options, she felt both "grief" and "relief" about her hysterectomy.

She said: “I thought I would have the opportunity to experience my fertility and my cycle waning and it never was.

“Instead it was a very quick, sharp cut-off...I will say we’re in the process of expanding our family in new ways. I want to safely meet our children and then figure out how to talk about it.”

Earlier this year, she told Today with Jenna and Sheinelle that she was "really excited" at finding a way to have a family of her own.

She said: "A lot of dreams came to an end. In the moment, my pain was so overriding that I put those other thoughts aside, and it was only in the aftermath of the surgery that I started to feel the weight of what had happened.

"Some people don't dream about being mothers, but I had, and it was a big part of my identity that I was going to do it someday in that way.

"The amazing thing is, since then, I have met so many people who built their families in so many different ways, and I have really come to a place where I feel really excited. Whatever way it happens, I will feel so grateful."

Pictures of the happy new parents and their baby have appeared on Vogue's instagram feed.

One image shows Dunham grinning at the camera whilst holding her child, whilst Felber kisses her head, and another shows a hospital tag around the baby's leg that said "Dunham, Baby Lena".

Dunham and Felber met on a blind date in 2021 and they married a few months later.

She had previously dated musician Jack Antonoff before they split in 2018 after six years together.