Giuliana Rancic and Bill Rancic expecting a baby

(CBS News) Giuliana and Bill Rancic's long and difficult road to parenthood is almost over.

The couple announced Monday that they are expecting their first child.

Pictures: Celebrity baby bumps

"We are so thrilled that our prayers have been answered," she told E! News. Her husband added, "We are absolutely ecstatic to be sharing this with everyone who has been following our journey."

The baby is due in late summer via a gestational carrier, meaning the Rancics are the biological parents.

The couple's struggle to become parents, partly documented on their reality show "Giuliana & Bill," has included multiple rounds of IVF, a miscarriage and a diagnosis of breast cancer, which led the "E! News" and "Fashion Police" host  to have a double mastectomy last year.

Appearing on the "Today" show Monday morning, the couple said their baby's carrier lives out of state, but they visit every month. Giuliana, 37, revealed they know they sex of the child, but added, "We're seeing how long we can keep it a secret, so we haven't told anyone yet."

"It was pretty emotional because this was our last stop," Bill, 40, explained to "Today" co-host Ann Curry, because the medication his wife was taking following her breast cancer diagnosis meant she would have to wait years before getting pregnant. "We had those two embryos that we had banked prior to learning about the breast cancer, and with the medicine [Giuliana] was on, this was our last effort. The prayers were answered."

"Giuliana & Bill" is currently in its fifth season on the Style Network.