Former Neighbours star and singer Natalie Imbruglia has announced she's expecting her first child. The 44-year-old kept fans in the loop by confirming her happy news via her Instagram account on July 24, according to Digital Spy. The star initially started the post by confirming her new record deal with BMG, before going on to explain that she also had another surprise up her sleeve. It's thought that Imbruglia is single.

The "Torn" hitmaker confirmed that her first child is due this fall. While Natalie confirmed that IVF and a sperm donor had helped her realize her dreams of motherhood, she said she wouldn't be discussing this any further in the public eye. In 2015, the singer opened up in an interview where she discussed turning 40. She said that children were something she had always wanted, and she was definitely not opposed to going it alone if it was necessary. At that time, she admitted she didn't feel like she was "at that point yet."

Imbruglia was previously married to Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns in 2003. Due to Johns commitments with his band, the couple lived apart. At the time, Natalie lived in Windsor, England, while Johns lived in Newcastle, Australia. They cited the distance as their reason for divorcing in 2008. Despite rumors of a romance as recent as last year, Natalie is believed to be single.

More and more women are choosing to go it alone these days, making the subject less taboo than it was decades ago. According to information from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the number of IVF cycles completed by single women increased by 4% between 2016-2017 in the UK alone. With that being said, it's largely seen as a positive, empowering choice for females.

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When Huffington Post spoke to women who had children via sperm donors, the reasons varied from the lack of a love interest to the breaking down of long-term relationships. One mother explained that at 39, wanting a baby became prevalent over finding a partner. Another mom said she simply switched the order of things. Instead of finding love and then having a baby, she's had a baby and then will look for love.