Reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian has previously shared about how she conceived her son Rocky with Travis Barker after halting all fertility treatments because of how they were affecting her health. Now, she’s opened up more on just how far she went.
Kardashian recently answered questions from fans on her Instagram stories, with one fan writing that she had gone through six failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, which she described as “debilitating.” She asked Kardashian how she had the strength to keep going.
“I stopped after a year of trying (5 failed IVF cycles, 3 retrievals) my body relaxed and I believed in God’s plan for my life,” Kardashian wrote. “Lots of prayers for whatever was meant to be for us. Also lots of optimizing 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. All the best!”
READ: IVF errors allegedly go unreported as fertility industry balks at further regulation
She further clarified that she got pregnant naturally, not through a sixth IVF cycle. “I want to be super clear bc it seems my answer to the IVF question may have been confusing,” she added. “I got pregnant 100% naturally, NOT through IVF… one year after stopping IVF actually. Through God’s blessing on Valentine’s Day.”
Kardashian previously described her experience with IVF as “traumatizing,” saying that the drugs not only caused her to gain weight, but put her into early menopause as well. “I felt like we kind of got pushed into doing IVF,” she said in a podcast. “If you look online, it says if you’re over 40 go right away to an IVF doctor. So I felt a little bit pushed.”
On November 4th, 2023, she gave birth to Rocky, but prior to that, had to undergo emergency fetal surgery in utero to save her baby’s life. Barker, the drummer for Blink-182, was in the middle of a tour, and left the band to be by his wife’s side throughout the process. “I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant,” she wrote on Instagram, adding, “Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing.”
