Former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards has a "serious" medical issue that will delay his criminal trial on charges of flouting campaign finance laws to cover up an affair with a mistress who bore his child, court records showed.

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The North Carolina Democrat, 58, is accused of secretly accepting more than $900,000 from two wealthy supporters to help cover up an affair and a child conceived with a videographer working for his 2008 presidential campaign.

In December, Edwards' lawyers asked for a two-month postponement of his trial in a federal court in Greensboro, North Carolina, citing in part an undisclosed medical issue.

A court docket on Friday showed Judge Catherine Eagles had postponed the trial until at least March 26 "due to defendant's serious medical condition." She ordered Edwards to provide a written medical update by February 28.

A legal source, who asked not to be identified because the person was not authorized to speak to the press, said Edwards has a medical issue that requires monitoring and treatment. The source declined to disclose the medical issue.

But the source said media reports that the condition would require surgery in February were "not accurate."

Edwards faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count if convicted.

The money in question was given to an Edwards aide to pay for former videographer Rielle Hunter's medical visits, prenatal care, rent, car, air travel and other living expenses, the indictment said.

The defense said the payments were intended to hide the affair from Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, who died of breast cancer in 2010, and were not campaign contributions subject to campaign finance laws.