"We're expecting our first child in early August. It's a bit exciting and unexpected," she told media on Sunday afternoon.

She will take three months off her parliamentary duties, but hopes to work a bit from home when her baby's six weeks old.



Ms Genter, 38, has previously had two miscarriages. In August she shared an "incredibly insensitive" email she received from a member of the public, blaming her miscarriages on fluoridation.



Ms Genter opened up to the New Zealand Women's Weekly in March last year about her two miscarriages.

"I'm quite a rational person and thought I could tell myself it simply wasn't meant to be, but I was surprised at how intensely powerful my emotions were," she told the magazine.

"It was upsetting and very sad."

Leadership bid

Ms Genter will still run for the party's co-leadership.

"We've had a previous co-leader while co-leader, so I think it's possible."

She is generally regarded as a pragmatic Green politician. She has a particular focus on public transport, wrote the medicinal cannabis Bill picked up by Chloe Swarbrick and has worked behind the scenes on party strategy for several years.



"This term is incredibly critical for the Green Party and it's a great opportunity for us being in Government, but also being outside Cabinet," Ms Genter told Newshub earlier this month.

"It's our first opportunity to deliver on issues we've been campaigning on for a really long time. It will be our first opportunity to campaign from a position of strength."

She will be up against Marama Davidson for the job, following Metiria Turei's resignation prior to the 2017 general election. James Shaw has been leading the party on his own since then.

The winner will be announced on April 8.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced her pregnancy in January.

"Clearly there's something in the water," said Ms Genter, saying her and Ms Ardern's simultaneous pregnancies were a coincidence.

"It's actually a bit sad that we've had to wait until 2018 for this to ever happen. It shows women our age have been underrepresented in politics and in Government."

Congratulations

Politicians took to social media to congratulate Ms Genter.

"Big congratulations to @JulieAnneGenter on her pregnancy!" her leadership rival Ms Davidson wrote on Twitter.

"Lovely we can share the news now she has announced publicly . Mamas and babies in Parliament is life. Aunty Marama ready for snuggles :)"