Oprah Winfrey Pregnant at Age 14: Opens Up About Deceased Son Canaan

Oprah Winfrey spoke about the death of her premature son after falling pregnant at age 14. Winfrey revealed the news as she spoke at Melbourne's Rod Laver arena to around 12,000 fans.

The 61-year-old talk show maven discussed being sexually molested as a child, revealing she only recently chose a name for her infant son she lost 40 years later.

Winfrey stated the baby died shortly after his premature birth, choosing the name Canaan for her son.

She told the crowd, "I did an interview with a reporter before I came to Australia and she said you should name the baby son who died. So I have named him, I had a little boy named Canaan."

Winfrey adds, "I did have a son. And I named him Canaan because Canaan means new land, new life."

Oprah also detailed the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl, which included members of her own family.

The television host revealed she was raped at the age nine by a cousin, then molested by an uncle and a family friend before accidentally falling pregnant as a young teenager.

Winfrey attempted to hide her pregnancy at age 14 because she felt so much "pain and shame."

Winfrey previously spoke to Piers Morgan in 2011 about contemplating suicide at 14 because she was pregnant. She revealed she felt she had a second chance after the loss of her son.

She was terrified knowing how her father viewed unwed mothers.

Winfrey opened up about the sexual abuse with her family at the age of 24, but they did not believe her.

She once stated that she had chosen not to be a mother because she had not been mothered well.

She explained to the Australian crowd that her painful life experiences made her determined to be "excellent" in her chosen career. Winfrey told her fans, "I have a calling, you have a calling. If you are born, there's a reason for you to be here."