Most of us can't resist a good celebrity pregnancy and baby photo, and it's our guilty pleasure too. Sometimes, however, more important than the glowing glam shot, is the light a celebrity can shed on a wide array of important issues from infertility to childbirth and development. We salute these strong mothers and mothers-to-be for sharing their stories and proving that all women really do glow.

This is a slideshow of the women who have braved the media scrutiny, and shared with us just a bit of their journey. We are grateful.