For many people, the journey to parenthood isn’t always straightforward. While some may get pregnant easily, others face fertility struggles that can be emotionally taxing. These high-profile celebrities have courageously shared their own battles with fertility, whether it involved infertility, surrogacy, adoption, or even choosing not to have children at all.
1. Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez recently revealed that her medical conditions prevent her from carrying a pregnancy safely. She shared with Vanity Fair, "I haven’t ever said this, but I unfortunately can’t carry my own children." For Gomez, the risk of carrying a child would endanger both her health and the baby's, making her decision a matter of safety.
2. Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston has long been subject to public scrutiny about whether she would have children. Eventually, she opened up about her struggles with infertility, revealing that she spent much of her 30s and 40s undergoing IVF treatments and trying other methods to conceive. She told Allure that the process was emotionally challenging, involving a series of ups and downs that she felt were magnified by the public's intrusive questions.
3. Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union's path to motherhood was also difficult. After suffering multiple miscarriages, she was diagnosed with adenomyosis, a condition that led her to pursue surrogacy. In her memoir, Union described the heartache of not being able to carry a child herself and the added stress of public judgment over her decision.
4. Jordana Brewster
Jordana Brewster also turned to surrogacy after realizing she couldn't carry a pregnancy. While she has two children through surrogacy, Brewster has been open about the emotional complexities of the process. In an interview with Yahoo Parenting, she expressed that while surrogacy was not her first choice, she didn’t feel judged by others, though she did feel awkward at times during discussions about birth.
5. Deborra-Lee Furness
Actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, faced their own fertility challenges early in their marriage. After several miscarriages, they chose adoption, a decision they had always hoped to pursue regardless. Their adoption journey was filled with both sadness and fulfillment as they grew their family.
6. Lena Dunham
At 31, Lena Dunham made the difficult decision to have a hysterectomy due to struggles with endometriosis. In an essay for Vogue, she explained that although the surgery was medically necessary, it left her feeling a sense of loss, as she had always dreamed of experiencing pregnancy. Her story has resonated with many women who face similar health struggles.
7. Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks has openly discussed her experience with fertility issues and her eventual decision to use a surrogate. After years of trying to conceive, she found comfort in hearing from other mothers that once they had their children, they forgot about the pain of pregnancy. For Banks, surrogacy allowed her to focus on being a mom rather than the process of pregnancy itself.
8. Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig’s path to motherhood was marked by years of IVF treatments. In an interview with InStyle, she described the process as emotionally overwhelming, but she eventually decided to pursue surrogacy. Wiig and her husband, Avi Rothman, are now parents of twins, a decision that brought them great joy after a long, difficult journey.
9. Kate Walsh
Kate Walsh, best known for her roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice, experienced early menopause, which led to her inability to have children. Diagnosed with a single viable egg and advised of her early menopause, Walsh was left feeling uncertain about her future as a mother. Her story reflects the challenges many women face when their bodies don’t cooperate with their family plans.
