Unbearable: Celebrities Who Speak Out For IVF

Having a child is usually a happy time in a woman’s life. Unfortunately, as we wait longer to have children, infertility and trouble conceiving can become a part of the family making process. Unbearable addresses these difficulties.

In the months I’ve been writing the “Unbearable” series, I’ve learned a lot about the public perception of those who seek medical help to expand their family. We’re an often misunderstood and misrepresented group of women who come from a million different backrounds but are all hoping for the same thing, a happy and healthy child. Whether it’s a single woman who chooses to raise a baby on her own or a married couple who can’t seem to have a child naturally, whether you’re 45 or 22, whether the cost is pocket change or a second mortgage on your house, it doesn’t really matter. When you want to have a child, it’s an all-consuming struggle. And many times, IVF is only answer.

Yet the public persona of these families is pretty one-dimensional. The word “selfish” gets thrown around a lot. It’s assumed that and IVF recipient is in her 40s and was just too busy with her career to have children. Now she just wants to buy one, since she can’t get pregnant the natural way. IVF is seen as a sin by many religions. There’s just such a taboo surrounding the procedures and those who choose them.

That’s why I’m thankful for celebrities like Brooke Shields and Elisabeth Rohm. I appreciate their bravery and honesty as they speak out about IVF. Lending a recognizable face to a problem that so many women struggle with helps all of us express our opinions and feel less alone. Infertility is often an isolating experience, and it helps that these ladies speak out and lift each other up.

Here are some wonderful women who opened up about their journeys and give us all a little hope that it can turn out for the best.

[ITPGallery]