Barnaby Joyce, upon learning his new partner Vikki Campion was pregnant, fought for his political survival despite knowing his position as deputy prime minister was untenable.
Ms Campion claims she was also told by "conservatives" within parliament to abort her child.
In a tear-filled interview on the Seven Network on Sunday, Ms Campion says she couldn't terminate the pregnancy because her baby Sebastian had a heartbeat.
"And they said if you don't, they're going to come after you. And they did.
"And I said it's too late it has a heartbeat."
When asked to specify who gave her the order, she said "people who are supposed to be conservative".
Ms Campion did not name the people who made threats, identifying them as: “People who are supposed to be conservatives. I wouldn’t want to tar and brush everyone in the National Party.”
Ms Campion said she had thought about an abortion, but in the end could not go through with it.
“I thought I should take matters into my own hands...by considering abortion. I tried and I couldn't go through with that,” she told Seven’s Sunday Night program.
“I bought the medicine online. I walked in and I walked out again.”
She said she also thought about giving up the baby for adoption.
“It was not an easy decision. It was a decision that I agonised over for weeks and months. You start thinking crazy things about adoption, so he (the baby) can have a normal life.”
Barnaby Joyce consoles his partner Vikki Campion during the interview.
Former National Party chief Mr Joyce said the impact the affair and pregnancy would have on his wife and four daughters was of utmost importance to him.
"To be quite frank, I couldn't give a s*** about the political ramifications, really," he said.
As pressure mounted, Mr Joyce campaigned and retained his seat of New England in a by-election last December brought about by a High Court ruling that he was a dual citizen.
He resigned in late February, weeks after the affair and pregnancy were sensationally revealed in tabloid newspapers.
"Toward the end, I was fighting more out of spite than logic."
“To be frank, I don’t give a shit about the political ramifications” he said.
Mr Joyce criticised the six media crews that camped outside his residence, saying the couple felt like they were trapped.
“We were locked up for two weeks. People sitting on the front lawn. We were living a nightmare.”
He said he knew he would be out of the job by the time Sebastian was born.
But Mr Joyce hit out at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for calling a press conference to criticise his deputy's judgment.
"That was wrong," he told Seven's Sunday Night program, conceding he "didn't expect a gold star" for his actions.
The couple say the money from the paid interview will go into a trust fund for baby Sebastian’s education.
Mr Joyce is on extended personal leave until the end of the month, and is not expected to return to his backbencher duties until August.
He resigned from his role as Nationals party leader on February 22, at the time requesting privacy for himself, Ms Campion, his wife and four daughters.
He said he later changed his mind and agreed to do the paid interview based on a decision made by Ms Campion, who believed she and her baby were being "screwed over".
