Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas has opened up about the deeply traumatic period following the premature birth of her daughter, Malti Marie, revealing that she and husband Nick Jonas were compelled to publicly announce the birth while their newborn was still fighting for her life in the NICU. Speaking on Jay Shetty’s podcast during promotions for her latest release The Bluff, which is currently streaming on Prime Video, Priyanka recalled learning that Malti would be born at just 27 weeks.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas reveals she was “forced” to announce daughter’s birth during her NICU battle: “We didn’t know what would happen with her”
“So when we were told that she was coming at 27 weeks, I shut down. I remember sitting in front of our fireplace at our house for at least nine hours. And for someone who is always so solution-oriented, I didn’t have any thought in my brain,” she said, adding that Nick rushed her to the hospital soon after.
Describing the circumstances of the birth, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, Priyanka said the situation was marked by extreme stress. “She was purple. The NICU nurses’ little fingers were too big for her mouth. How they intubated her was… I still see that image,” she shared. Priyanka added that while their surrogate was thankfully safe, all their focus shifted to their daughter. “I was just numb. I didn’t know what to do and how to be useful at that moment.”
Malti remained in the neonatal intensive care unit for nearly three months — around 110 days. The couple took turns being with her, as only one parent was allowed at a time. “She cried the first time. It was like a cat. That’s all we got,” Priyanka said, calling it an intensely personal and traumatic phase. Their families flew in to support them, but most of their time was spent inside the hospital.
The actor also revealed that news of Malti’s birth was leaked while the child was still in critical care. “We got a text saying that her birth is going to be put out by the papers… that if we don’t, they are going to in three hours. So we were kind of forced into announcing her birth,” she said. The couple had hoped to wait until they had more clarity about their daughter’s health. “We wanted to hold onto our own narrative of it; we weren’t ready because we didn’t know what would happen with her or how she would be.”
During the prolonged hospital stay, both parents tried to create a sense of presence and comfort for Malti. Nick would sing to her with his guitar, while Priyanka played recorded mantras — including the Mahamrityunjay Mantra, Gayatri Mantra and Om Namah Shivay mantra — softly near her crib.
Malti’s medical journey involved multiple procedures, including six blood transfusions. “She was very, very desired, very coveted and treasured. It was so hard,” Priyanka said.
Priyanka and Nick married in 2018 in Rajasthan in ceremonies that blended Christian and Hindu traditions. They welcomed Malti via surrogacy in January 2022. While Priyanka had earlier shared glimpses of her daughter on social media, she has since maintained greater privacy around her family life.
Also Read: Karl Urban hails Priyanka Chopra Jonas as ‘Sigourney Weaver-level good’ in Prime Video’s The Bluff
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