Celebrities Who Were Transparent About Being Unable To Conceive On IVF

After hearing countless celebrities share IVF success stories, it is easy to think of it as a miracle solution to infertility. Now, there's no denying that in vitro fertilization has been a huge scientific advancement, helping millions around the globe welcome children. However, the glaring positives can arguably lead some to overlook the amount of struggle that it takes to conceive with IVF. 

The Mayo Clinic notes that the fertility medication may cause some to temporarily develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a condition that causes vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other forms of stomach upset. Additionally, the risk of pregnancy loss with IVF treatments only increased with age. Medical News Today writes that some may even experience difficulty breathing, increased irritability, and sleep issues. IVF is also associated with a slightly higher risk of ectopic pregnancies, birth defects, and premature births, according to the Mayo Clinic.

There can also be complications involving mental health. According to a 2026 study published in Healthcare, both men and women undergoing IVF dealt with numerous complex emotions. In comparison to men, women faced higher levels of anxiety, depressive symptoms, stress related to infertility, and an overall reduction in quality of life. Meanwhile, men faced significant psychological distress during the crucial phases of the procedure and after unsuccessful treatments. The study also found that these psychological effects remained pronounced in the long term for those who were unable to conceive through the treatment. 

We can also learn a lot about the tremendous mental toll that unsuccessful IVF treatments have through the stories of celebrities who have experienced it firsthand. Their candid comments highlight the human side of infertility.

Speaking to People in September 2015, Tyra Banks shared that she had wanted children since she was 24. However, the "America's Next Top Model" judge had put her desires on the back burner because her career required her to be hands-on. Banks told the outlet that, at age 40, she realized "the clock [was] ticking," so she began undergoing IVF treatments. "I've had some not happy moments with that, very traumatic moments," Banks said of her fertility journey, before adding that the process only got more complicated with age. Still, she was hopeful she would have multiple kids someday. 

During a September 2015 episode of "FABLife" (via E! News), Banks got emotional as she admitted that she was tired of seeing social media comments probing into why she didn't have children. The former model then confessed that while she seemed all cheery at work, she was actually dealing with the nausea and the fatigue brought on by the IVF treatment. 

In a March 2018 interview with People, Banks' mother, Carolyn London, shared that her heart broke as she watched her daughter's fertility struggles, further recalling how Banks had already set up a nursery for her little one by the time she learned that the IVF treatment hadn't worked. Meanwhile, during an April 2025 appearance on "Today," Banks said that she felt "inadequate" whenever her doctor gave her an update on the number of eggs she had left. 

After a year of trying IVF treatments, Banks and her then-boyfriend Erika Asla welcomed their son, York, through surrogacy in 2016. However, Banks notably told People that she was "constantly living on edge" throughout the surrogacy process.

During a November 2022 interview with Allure, Jennifer Aniston shared that she had been trying to get pregnant in her late 30s and 40s. "I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it," the "Friends" alum said. However, after years of trying, Aniston had been told that she would no longer be able to conceive. Aniston went on to share her reaction to the news, saying, "I actually feel a little relief now because there is no more, 'Can I? Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.' I don't have to think about that anymore." 

During an October 2025 appearance on the "Armchair Expert" podcast (via YouTube), the "Cake" actor once again said that it was "so peaceful" to know and accept that there was nothing else she could do to conceive naturally. Moreover, Aniston made it clear that she did not see adoption as a viable option because she wanted her offspring to have her DNA. Still, she did admittedly have brief moments when she would meet someone incredible and think about the wonderful children they could have had. Needless to say, Jennifer Aniston's infertility issues highlighted the reality of IVF for many.

While Aniston seems to have made her peace with her fertility journey, she still couldn't help but marvel at how crassly the media speculated about her pregnancy once upon a time. During her Allure interview, the Emmy winner recalled how she had to deal with headlines suggesting that her first husband, actor Brad Pitt, had ended their marriage because she refused to have kids or that she was too "selfish" to have children and just wanted to focus on her career.

In Gabrielle Union's 2017 book "We're Going To Need More Wine," she shared that her "body [had] been a prisoner" of trying to get pregnant over the past three years as she had gone through repeated IVF cycles (via People). The "Bring It On" star also shared that she had eight or nine pregnancy losses over the three-year period. Elsewhere in the book, she recalled how her doctor had strongly urged her to conceive through surrogacy in 2016. 

However, Union was determined to conceive naturally because she wanted to physically experience pregnancy. After another year of IVF cycles, her doctor told her that she could try Lupron for her fertility issues. While the medication increased her chances of conceiving naturally by 30%, it could also have numerous side effects, including early menopause. Although she was mulling over the idea, her husband, Dwayne Wade, urged her not to push her body any further. So, the couple turned to surrogacy and went on to welcome their daughter Kaavia in 2018. 

In a May 2025 interview with Marie Claire, Union confessed that she would always have complex feelings about being unable to conceive naturally. "For me, it felt like failure," Union said of surrogacy. "My body failed. It just felt like such a f***ing public humiliation. Surrogacy felt like a cuckold; watching somebody do something that I can't do." She stressed that although she would always be thankful for their surrogate, she still wouldn't be able to get over all the what-ifs involved with her own fertility journey.

During a May 2026 episode of her Netflix documentary series "Kylie," Kylie Minogue shared that she had received a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 36 in 2005. However, instead of immediately starting chemotherapy, the Australian singer had decided to first undergo IVF treatments because she was worried about the prospect of having kids down the line (via Hello! Magazine). "I couldn't not try," Minogue said of IVF. "If it had happened, it would have been just shy of a miracle. But it didn't work out that way. One can't help but wonder what it would have been like – and I'm so close to my family. But it wasn't my path." 

Meanwhile, in a February 2018 interview with The Sunday Times, the "Can't Get You out of My Head" hitmaker confessed that she felt "a bit of sadness" about not being able to have biological children. Sometimes, Minogue even wondered what it would be like to look into her child's eyes. However, she ultimately didn't let herself get too sad about the prospect because she knew that it was completely out of her hands. Additionally, she believed it was more than likely that she would marry somebody who had kids, and she would eventually get to experience the joys of being a stepmother. 

Speaking to Sunday Times Style (via RTE) in May 2019, Minogue said that although people would point out that she could still conceive through alternative means, she was ultimately quite content with the life she was leading. Minogue said, "You've got to accept where you are and get on with it."

During an April 2022 episode of "The Kardashians" (via Today), Kourtney Kardashian Barker shared that she and Travis Barker were trying to conceive through IVF. The Poosh founder went on to offer an interesting insight into what can happen to the body when you do IVF treatments. After stating that the medication for her treatment brought on menopause-like symptoms, she described how it affected her mental health, saying, "I have everything in the world to be happy about. I just feel a little bit off, not like myself, super moody and hormonal. I'm a lunatic half the time." While she dealt with those symptoms, she also had to watch people on the internet speculate about whether she was pregnant on account of her supposed weight gain. 

During an October 2022 episode of the "Not Skinny but Not Fat" podcast, Kourtney shared that she felt "pushed" into undergoing IVF after reading all the online articles suggesting that it was the best way to conceive for people over 40. Likewise, in an October 2023 chat with Vogue, the reality TV star confessed that she decided to try out the fertility treatment, against her intuition, and also ignored how she didn't feel physically or mentally ready for it. 

While answering fan questions in a May 2024 Instagram Story, Kourtney shared that she had given up on trying to conceive with IVF after a year, during which she had five unsuccessful cycles and three retrievals. During her Vogue interview, Kourtney revealed that she eventually managed to get pregnant naturally when she was 44. Kourtney and Travis welcomed their son, Rocky Thirteen Barker, in November 2023.