Jessica Alba - Another Celebrity "Single Mother By Choice"?

Jessica Alba has joined the parade of happily unmarried mommies-to-be.

Obviously, the pregnancy of the lovely and, as most men will tell you, "hot" movie star dominated international news yesterday.

The baby daddy is Alba's boyfriend Cash Warren. Some say they have been on-off-on again over the past three years. No word on marriage plans.

Singles mothers by choice is nothing new. Jane Mattes, C.S.W., founded the national organization, Single Mothers by Choice, in 1981 and then penned a book on the topic. Movies were made. The trend was to support women of a certain age who wanted a child but had no partner. Women did not want to be forced by societal standards to "wait" for the right guy. With the help of willing male friends, or sperm banks and artificial insemination, a new wave of babies came into being. Planned for and conciously, loved and provided for. Even the challenge of how to bring a male figure into the babies life was explored in depth.

This whole celebrity baby-before-marriage thing more typically involves an active partner or mate, but women are opting not to get married "just because of the baby." Truth is, movie stars have the means to maintain independence and autonomy. They can control their destiny, to some extent, with the financial wherewithall and they can all provide for their wee ones if the relationships don't work out.

Maybe like Tom and Katie, Jessica and Cash will end up tying the knot. Or maybe like Halle Berry, also due in 2008, Jess will stay single. She is a family oriented person so marriage might be right for her. Halle on the other hand has had bad experiences with two husbands and has sworn off marriage.

No one wants to end up in a custody battle. Just think: Britney and Kevin.

You better believe that many of these celebs have already seen to it that they have baby-pre-nups securing custody if the relationship fails.