Huma Abedin, Pregnant, Still Supports Anthony Weiner and His Career

June 8, 2011— -- Huma Abedin, the wife of embattled New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, is in the early stages of her first pregnancy, sources close to the couple told ABC News.

While Abedin is reportedly devastated by her husband's admission of risque online chats and photo swaps with other women, she's told friends she is still committed to the marriage and wants to help Weiner salvage his political career.

The Democratic congressman confessed Monday to lying about sending a photo of his crotch via Twitter to 21-year-old Seattle college student Gennette Cordova and five other women in the last three years.

Friends say that Abedin, who is a top aide to Hillary Clinton, did know that Weiner had a "problem" before their marriage, but he promised he was past that.

Weiner, 46, and Abedin, 35, have only been married 11 months.

Abedin, say friends and colleagues, still believes she can salvage his political career and wants to help him do that. She has been leaning on and getting advice from her boss, Hillary Clinton, and her sister, say friends.

Abedin left Wednesday night for the Middle East with Clinton and has been by her side constantly. Efforts by ABC News to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.

The friends say that although she has been looking anguished, Abedin has otherwise not wavered in her high-intensity job as Clinton's closest aide.

They added that the secretary of state and Abedin are equally devastated by the scandal.

Friends say Abedin learned that he had lied over the weekend. She was shocked on his behalf for days that someone would hack into his Twitter account -- a story that turned out to be untrue.

They say she adores Weiner, that he "makes her laugh" and draws her out, and he "worships" her.

Weiner, himself, told reporters Monday, "We have no intention of splitting over this. We have been through a lot together. We will weather this. I love her. She loves me."

Those close to Abedin say she still may not understand the full implications of the damage he's done to career and marriage. They say she is working through that because it is so far away from her fairly sheltered world.

Abedin began her career in 1996 as a White House intern, then later served as Hillary Clinton's traveling chief of staff and "body woman" during her 2008 presidential campaign.

Born in Kalamazoo, Mich., she is the daughter of an Iranian scholar of Indian descent and a Pakistani mother who is a sociology professor in Saudi Arabia, where she was raised. She came to the United States to attend George Washington University.

Strikingly beautiful, her only foray into the public eye was cooperating with a 2007 feature in Vogue magazine. During the interview she told the magazine that she "grew up in a very traditional family, but there was never anything I didn't think I could do.

"I remember going with my parents to weddings where the women would arrive covered in black veils, but underneath they'd be wearing the most exquisite brightly colored Dolce & Gabbana suits," said Abedin. "They were like peacocks showing off their tails."