Southern Charm star Jennifer Snowden has given birth to a baby boy DailyMail.com has learned exclsuively.

Dailymail.com has learned that the 35-year-old Charleston realtor and star of the hit Bravo reality show was taken into hospital on Monday where son, James Ascher, was delivered by an elective C-section at 7.15am.

But for Jennifer and her boyfriend, Lee, who she's known for ten years, the joy of their eagerly anticipated first child is cut with the stress and anxiety of the knowledge that the newly born must undergo major surgery within a matter of days.

It is five months since Jennifer revealed on Twitter that her unborn child - who will go by his middle name - had been diagnosed with a brain encephalocele, a rare birth defect of the neural tube that affects the brain.

Only half of babies who have encephaloceles survive to birth.

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Southern Charm star Jennifer Snowden (left and right), 35, was taken into hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday morning to give birth to her and her boyfriend Lee's son, James Ascher

James Ascher, who they plan to call by his middle name, was delivered by an elective C-section at 7.15am

Last year just 340 babies were born with the defect in the United States.

WHAT IS ENCEPHALOCELE? Encephalocele is a rare birth defect of the neural tube - a narrow channel that closes during the third and forth weeks of pregnancy to form the brain and spinal cord. Encephalocele is a sac-like protrusion of the brain and membranes that form when the neural tube does not close copmletely during the pregnancy, allowing an opening for the sac to develop. Approximately 340 babies are born with the condiion in the United States each year. Experts estimate that only half of the children with encephaloceles survive to birth. The defect is treated with surgery to place the protruding part of the brain and membranes back into the skull and closing the opening in the skull. Neurological problems caused by the defect, however, may still be present and long-term treatment depends on the child's condition. Source: CDC Advertisement

According to a source close to the couple: 'Jennifer had a C-section yesterday morning but the baby was immediately placed in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit and will have to undergo surgery within a few days.'

It is an outcome that Jennifer openly prayed would be different.

On Sunday, the eve of her son's birth, Jennifer took to Instagram to share her belief that the encephalocele on Ascher's brain 'has continued to be miraculously healed in the womb, which was evidenced by his 2nd fetal MRI on 7/28'.

She continued: 'We've been on a crazy emotional trajectory with this little guy but are so blessed by the news from 7/28 & hopeful that his prognosis remains the same or, God willing, even better once he's born & the doctors can evaluate him more.'

According to the source: 'Lee, her mom and many friends are at the hospital with Jennifer supporting her.'

Fellow Southern Charm star, Kathryn Dennis, 24, is one such friend.

Fans of the show have watched over recent seasons as Jennifer - once simply the woman accused of sleeping cast cad Thomas Ravenel's bed 'several times' - evolved from being a source of friction between the cast's most combustible couple, Kathryn and Thomas, to Kathryn's meddlesome friend and surprising ally.

During her pregnancy, Snowden received advice from Kathryn, who already has two children, according to All About Tea.

Jennifer revealed on Twitter that her unborn child - who there are no photos of yet - had been diagnosed with a brain encephalocele, a rare birth defect of the neural tube that affects the brain

Jennifer has already filled Ascher's closet with clothes, preparing for her son's September arrival

Jennifer shared photos Clemson University-themed baby clothes on Instagram, saying she's 'determined' to make him a fan of the school's football team

Jennifer also told her followers that decorating Ascher's nursery (pictured) has been the 'MOST fun' of any decorating project she's done

'Her advice has been to enjoy it, the whole thing: being pregnant and then being a mom as it's the most rewarding relationship you'll ever have. That part I'm especially excited about,' she said.

Similarly Ravenel, 54, who had once been outspoken in his distrust of and disdain for Jennifer in the past, has been respectful and restrained since news broke of Jennifer's pregnancy, its complications and her decision to see it through to term.

During the reunion show earlier this year the former Republican politician voiced his support for Snowden and praised her decision to carry the baby to term.

In recent months Jennifer has charted the excitement and uncertainty of her surprise pregnancy across Instagram and Twitter.

Announcing the pregnancy in April she admitted that, for both her and Lee, the news came as a 'complete surprise'.

At a baby shower earlier this summer, Jennifer revealed that while they named their son James, he will go by his middle name, Ascher

Because baby Ascher was born with encephalocele, he will have to undergo surgery in a matter of days

Announcing the pregnancy in April Jennifer (second from left) admitted that, for both her and Lee (left), the news came as a 'complete surprise'

She told Bravo that she and Lee were going to name their son James III, after Lee's grandfather and Lee's birth name.

The family, however, plans to call baby James by his middle name - Ascher.

The baby was due on Lee's father's birthday, making it 'a very special due date indeed', Snowden told Bravo.

But she was, she said, 'ecstatic' about having a little boy.

She wrote: 'I absolutely LOVE little boys, always have, starting with my youngest brother Gray's birth when I was 11.

'I think I've kind of been a mom in my own eyes since then, so this has been a long time coming!'

Fellow Southern Charm star, Kathryn Dennis (second from right, with the rest of the cast), 24, has reportedly already visited Jennifer (third from left) at the hospital

Across her pregnancy Jennifer has posted pictures of the nursery that awaits Ascher at her Charleston home, the baby clothes she has bought and been given, told of how her dogs are going to be cared of by a relative to allow her to tend to her newborn without distraction and, amid it all, asked friends and fans to pray for her child's health.

With no way of knowing the severity of her unborn child's condition or how it would affect the baby while still in utero, Jennifer and Lee had faced the agonizing decision of whether or not to continue with the pregnancy post diagnosis this spring.

Speaking to the Daily Dish back in April Jennifer explained: 'Although the future is to a degree uncertain for our baby, I have a pure sense of weightlessness about the stresses or fear of his future and I attribute that to faith and prayer alone.'

She added: 'One thing I do know is that he has one, a future, because of my decision to keep the little guy around and I couldn't be more thrilled to meet him, no matter what mountains we will have to climb together.'