Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan announces pregnancy with fiancée Renee Sharples following IVF journey

Casey Donovan and her fiancée Renee Sharples are expecting their first child together following the singer's IVF journey.

The happy couple announced earlier this year they were attempting to fall pregnant, with the Australian Idol winner, 38, completing her first embryo transfer in April.

Now, she has revealed the happy news in an Instagram post on Saturday, saying the IVF was successful and their baby is due to be born in February 2027.

She shared a photo of the loved-up couple smiling as they held up an ultrasound and a tiny infant onesie with the words, 'Cool Bubs Club,' emblazoned across the front.

'After extensive research, clinical assessment and absolutely no musical rehearsal… Baby arriving February 2027,' Casey captioned the image.

She also went on to share pictures from a recent photoshoot she did with Sydney Weekend, where she revealed her disbelief over falling pregnant. 

The entertainer revealed she had been told as early as 14 that she was unlikely to ever fall pregnant after being diagnosed with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome – formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

'I'm feeling so many emotions right now,' said Casey, who is 22 weeks pregnant. 

'I've been told since I was a young girl that falling pregnant was going to be a massive issue or if it would ever happen at all, so I went into this going, "It's not going to work, nothing's going to."

'I was told it may be difficult to conceive a child, hold a child and, yeah, give birth. I still don't believe it.'

Casey went on to say she 'has these moments of stress and panic' whenever she has a scan to check on her unborn baby because she's 'never been through this before'.  

The performer and her fiancée Renee shared their IVF journey with fans in April after Casey completed her first embryo transfer.

'Today @renee.sharples and I did our first embryo transfer,' she wrote alongside a montage of Instagram clips showing her visiting No.1 Fertility in Melbourne.

'I got the 6am flight back from Sydney to Melbourne and after a massive weekend of amazing shows in NSW it was great to be home [and in] the loving arms of my love and put my legs up... Literally.

'Thank you to the amazing team at @no1fertility and a massive thank you to @fertility_queen_dr_burmeister.'

She went on to say she was 'truly thankful' for Dr Lynn Burmeister who went 'above and beyond' to help with the embryo transfer.

'Now we wait... What will be will be. Sending all of the love, light and baby dust to all who are on an IVF journey,' Casey added.

An embryo transfer is one of the most important steps in an IVF journey, where an embryo is first placed into the uterus.

However, pregnancy does not occur until the embryo is successfully implanted into the uterine lining.

This is usually confirmed via blood test about two weeks after the transfer.

Casey revealed late last year that she and her fiancée Renee were planning to start a family.

'We've spoken about it and Renee is now over 40, so she's gone through and done her retrievals and whatnots,' Casey told news.com.au in November.

'And then I was like, well, I need to find some time to get mine out.'

She continued: 'This has always been an option, and now I'm just starting to action everything because I'm not getting any younger, as the doctors keep telling me.'

Casey announced her engagement to her long-time partner in June 2024.

Showing off her massive diamond ring, the theatre star cuddled up to her partner as she shared in the caption the wholesome moment Renee got down on bended knee.

'21.06.24 on the strawberry moon of the winter solstice the love of my life asked me if I wanted to do this life together forever,' Casey wrote.

'The day I met you, home was no longer a place it became a person and yes, you are a gypsy but there's nobody else I would rather attach my wagon to on this beautiful road trip called life, and with that, I said yes!'