45-year-old pregnant with her 20th child

Arkansas mum Michelle Duggar has proudly announced to the world she's expecting - but her 19 other children got to hear the news first.

Duggar, 45, and her husband Jim Bob, 46, have more experience than most in new arrivals, but they told NBC Television they were surprised by the latest.

"I was not thinking that God would give us another one, and we are just so grateful," said Duggar, star of a reality show on TLC called 19 Kids and Counting.

The family lives in Little Rock and also runs its own internet site which sells books written by the Duggars and DVDs, and dispenses advice to parents.

The brood currently consists of 10 boys and nine girls aged between 23 months and 23 years. The latest, Josie, was born prematurely in December 2009 and Duggar suffered complications.

Duggar said that despite the risks, she was not worried for her health. "I'm really in better shape than I've been in 20 years," she said.

Amid the joy, Bob had a practical view on the situation: "We didn't want to stop on an odd number."

Duggar, already three-and-a-half months through her pregnancy, has scheduled a c-section with doctors so far giving her a clean bill of health.

The Duggar's children range in age from 23 months up to 23 years and all have names that begin with J.

The oldest son, Josh, has two children with his wife Anna.

The Duggars themselves say they have always left family planning in the hands of God and do not use any form of birth control.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.