Anna Nicole Smith IS pregnant

Anna Nicole Smith is five months pregnant, sources tell TMZ. And we're told that the former Playboy Playmate is engineering a way to make money off of the announcement.

Today, TMZ contacted Larry Birkhead, rumored to be the father. When asked if Anna Nicole was pregnant and if he was the dad, Birkhead replied: "I'm not going to deny she's pregnant or that I'm the father."

Recently, Birkhead denied Smith was pregnant. When pressed today, he suggested he was pressured into making the denial. "I've been asked in the past by [Anna's attorney] Howard [K] Stern to deny the rumor." Birkhead said he could not comment beyond that.

Howard K. Stern tells TMZ emphatically, "Anna wants that guy completely out of her life and obviously he is having trouble dealing with it." He also said, "You'll be able to find out soon enough [if she's pregnant]," but would not elaborate beyond that.

A source says Stern may be denying the pregnancy rumor because it would take the thunder out of an official announcement from Smith-- an announcement we're told she believes is worth a serious amount of money.

UPDATE 5:45PM ET: Larry Birkhead read Stern's response to TMZ and adds: "I was not going to discuss the matter publicly, but since Howard K. Stern is attempting to bash me... I have been told that I am expecting a child, I have seen the ultrasound and have spoken to doctors. I am very excited about the possibility of becoming a father. Howard needs to get past his own jealousy about the relationship between myself and his only client."

TMZ