Celebrity Stories
Chrissy Teigen Begs for More Sensitivity During IVF Treatment
Eloise Edington | 21 Feb 2022
Chrissy Teigen announced over the weekend that she’s having another round of IVF to expand the family she has with her musician husband, John Legend.
In an Instagram post, Teigen said she’s “balls deep in another IVF cycle” and writes that she also experiences common IVF treatment side effects. A reaction to comments from her 37 million followers, the IVF announcement pleads for more sensitivity for people going through fertility treatment.
At Fertility Help Hub, we know how important it is to be sensitive around fertility struggles and pregnancy complications, whether this is with loved ones or when talking about celebrities. And whilst Teigen shares her fertility journey so openly, her post is a good reminder that we might not always know someone’s difficulty in trying to conceive. When it comes to fertility treatment, let’s think before we speak.
Read on to see Chrissy Teigen’s Instagram post and find out about her and John Legend’s challenging route to parenthood.
Words by Holly Pigache
Featured image credit: Chrissy Teigen’s Instagram
Another round of IVF
On the 19th of February, Chrissy Teigen shared a post on Instagram telling followers she’s going through another cycle of IVF. She says she doesn’t mind the IVF shots (they make her feel like a doctor or a chemist) but “the bloating is a bitch” and it has led to followers congratulating her on another pregnancy. “I am the opposite of pregnant!” Teigen writes.
She adds that she understands these comments are from a place of love and support but even well-meaning remarks can cause upset and frustration. Teigen pleads we don’t assume a woman is pregnant when we see a stomach bump. “Some poor woman will look you in the eyes through tears,” as her swollen stomach might not be a baby but a common reaction to IVF meds, egg collection or perhaps she’s carrying a little extra weight. Unless you’re sure someone is pregnant, it’s best not to beam well-wishes at them.
Related article: How to Reduce Bloating After Egg Collection
View this post on Instagram
Teigen announces the next round of IVF and begs people to stop asking others if they’re pregnant.
Credit: Chrissy Teigen’s Instagram.
A difficult journey
Although Chrissy Teigen and her husband John Legend are now blessed with two children, their path to parenthood hasn’t been straightforward.
The couple married in September 2013 and found realising their dream to build a family was going to be hard-fought. After struggling to conceive, Teigen and Legend underwent IVF for Teigen to eventually give birth to Luna, now 5 years old. Yet following the birth, Teigen has been open about her experience of suffering from postpartum depression. Two years later, the couple tried IVF again in an effort to conceive another child. In an article by Harper’s Bazaar (read it here), Teigen says the first round of IVF was unsuccessful but ultimately, they were fortunate to achieve a pregnancy.
In a beautifully heartfelt Medium essay, Teigen says she had to deliver Miles, now 3 years old, a month early “because his stomach wasn’t getting enough food from my placenta.” In the same essay, she writes of her miscarriage of her son, Jack, at 20 weeks, also due to problems with her placenta.
In September 2020, Teigen suffered a partial placenta abruption and was induced to give birth to Jack and “say goodbye moments later.” She writes how she “laid there for hours, waiting to be told it was time to push.” Teigen, Legend and Teigen’s mother said their private goodbyes to Jack, and Teigen writes she remembers kissing Jack’s tiny hands and feet “over and over again” – although she isn’t sure whether this was for 10 minutes or an hour. Time seemed to stand still in the aftermath of Jack’s premature birth.
Now, 18 months later, Teigen and Legend are having fertility treatment again and hoping IVF will give them “strong, healthy embryos”.
Related article: Chrissy Teigen on Baby Loss Awareness
Fertility struggles can affect anyone and whilst celebrities’ greater wealth tends to mean they have more options for fertility treatment, (in)fertility is still deeply emotional.
We must remember the decision to share or not share is a personal one. Teigen’s choice to share her family building efforts and setbacks with her fans has received backlash and criticism but her openness has helped reduce the stigma around infertility.
Yet there is still a long way to go. We can never know the hidden battles our friends, family members or strangers are fighting. Particularly when it comes to fertility treatment, Chrissy Teigen’s recent Instagram post reminds us to stop asking women if they’re pregnant and to broach conversations about fertility with a little more sensitivity.
