Kourtney Kardashian Barker Shares Her IVF Journey and Natural Pregnancy Success
Kourtney Kardashian Barker recently opened up about her challenging journey with in vitro fertilisation (IVF) before conceiving her son naturally. Answering fan questions on Instagram, the reality star revealed she underwent five failed IVF cycles and three retrievals before stopping the treatments.
Kardashian explained that after a year of trying with IVF, she decided to take a break. "My body relaxed, and I believed in God's plan for my life," she shared. "Lots of prayers for whatever was meant to be for us. Also, lots of optimising my health. I know how hard it is to feel like you're not trying, but believing in God's plan and saying your prayers is so powerful."
In November, Kardashian and her husband, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, welcomed their first child together, Rocky. Both have children from previous relationships. Kardashian confirmed she naturally conceived on Valentine's Day in 2023, a year after stopping IVF treatment.
During season five of "The Kardashians," the 45-year-old revealed that she underwent "urgent fetal surgery" during her pregnancy, which was a "terrifying" experience. Her husband, Barker, immediately left his UK and Ireland gigs to be by her side in LA. Last September, Kardashian expressed her gratitude to the doctors who saved her baby's life.
The couple legally married in April 2022 after hosting a "practice" wedding following the Grammys, officiated by an Elvis impersonator at 2 am.
What is IVF?
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a medical procedure that can help women facing challenges with getting pregnant. According to the Centre’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 2% of US pregnancies result from IVF. The process involves retrieving eggs from a woman's ovaries and combining them with sperm in a lab. The fertilised embryo is then transferred to the woman's uterus, where it may create a pregnancy. However, the process is not guaranteed and often requires multiple attempts to succeed.
In some cases, fertilised embryos are frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen tanks, where they can be preserved for up to a decade.
Kourtney Kardashian Barker's journey highlights the emotional and physical toll of IVF and the hope that comes with believing in a higher plan and maintaining health and faith.
