Connie Chung Puts Motherhood First : Television: The CBS newswoman, 43, drops her series from the weekly lineup so she can focus on having a baby.

NEW YORK — Connie Chung wants to have a baby before it’s too late, so today she removed herself and her new “Face to Face With Connie Chung” interview series from CBS’ Monday lineup for next fall.

The 43-year-old Chung, who is married to “A Current Affair” anchorman Maury Povich, 51, said she will do “Face to Face” specials instead of her series.

CBS will replace Chung’s series with “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill,” a one-hour dramatic series featuring former “Cagney & Lacey” star Sharon Gless as a recently divorced lawyer who becomes a public defender.

Chung, in a statement explaining her decision, said she and her husband “have reached an important point in our lives.”

“We want very much to have a child,” she said. “Unfortunately, time is running out for me when it comes to childbearing. I will be 44 next month.

“Just last week, after consulting with my doctors, I became convinced that to make this effort, I now need to take a very aggressive approach to having a baby.”

Because of that, she said, she asked CBS News to lighten her workload. She was unavailable for comment on her decision.

Earlier this year, Maria Shriver left NBC’s Washington-based “Sunday Today” show, citing a desire to spend more time with her baby daughter in Los Angeles, where she lives.

“This was a very important decision for Connie,” CBS Broadcast Group President Howard Stringer said. “She has my support, respect and loyalty.

“When Connie is ready we will happily welcome ‘Face to Face’ back to the schedule as a weekly series.”

Chung, who rejoined CBS News from NBC in April, 1989, and anchored last season’s low-rated “Saturday Night With Connie Chung,” scored high ratings in May with her first two “Face to Face” specials.

Her husband recently said he will leave the syndicated “A Current Affair,” which he has anchored for Fox Broadcasting since 1986.

Povich intends to co-produce and anchor a new nightly talk series to be syndicated by Paramount starting in fall, 1991.

OTHER TV NEWS MOMS

Mary Alice Williams

The NBC News correspondent and her husband, CNN producer Mark Haefeli, welcomed their first child, Alice Ann, in January. Williams has limited her assignment since.

Maria Shriver

NBC news anchor Maria Shriver and actor husband Arnold Schwarzenegger had their first child, Kathleen, last December. Shriver left the Washington-based “Sunday Today” show, citing a desire to spend more time with her daughter.

Meredith Vieira

The correspondent for CBS’s “60 Minutes” decided to be a part-time anchor on the newsmagazine show so she could spend more time with her only child, Ben, born in Feb., 1989. Vieira is married to free-lance journalist Richard Cohen.