Miss Universe Canada Reveals She Competed While Pregnant

Miss Universe Canada 2025 Jaime VandenBerg has revealed that she was four months pregnant while representing Canada at the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok last November.

VandenBerg, 29, shared the news publicly in March through an Instagram Reel, saying she chose to keep her pregnancy private during the competition. Although the Miss Universe Organization has allowed married women and mothers to compete since 2023, she said she wanted to be judged for her advocacy work and years of dedication rather than being known as "the pregnant contestant."

After discovering she was pregnant while working in Mexico City, VandenBerg consulted her doctor before competing. She said she remained healthy throughout the pageant and adjusted her wardrobe as her pregnancy progressed.

A survivor of a near-fatal shooting in 2021, VandenBerg has focused her platform on raising awareness of gender-based violence. She said competing while pregnant also reinforced her belief that women should not have to choose between pursuing ambitious goals and starting a family.

VandenBerg and her partner, Aaron Hernandez, welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Nicole Hernandez-VandenBerg, on May 14. After becoming the first Canadian woman to win all four major national pageant titles, she has retired from competition and plans to focus on motherhood while continuing to mentor future contestants.