Maria Menounos tries IVF after being told: ‘You’re not able to have kids’

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Maria Menounos is the cover story for Health Magazine’s July/August issue. I think Maria is beautiful but I am not crazy about that cover; that top isn’t doing anything for me. Maria has such an effervescent personality; like her enthusiasm for everything just bubbles out of her. But she’s not a lightweight; she knows what she wants and goes after it. Last March, she and Keven Undergaro got engaged after 19 years together. Although she gleefully accepted his proposal, they decided the wedding would take a back seat to their first priority, which is having children. Unfortunately, Maria’s doctor told her she could not conceive naturally so they decided to pursue IVF. She has been documenting the process on Snapchat. Maria opened up to Health about IVF, getting healthy and her wedding plans. You can read the whole article here, but below are a few highlights.

On thinking she couldn’t have children:
“My doctor ran a test and said to me, ‘I have really bad news: You’re not able to have kids.’ I was like, ‘What?!… The next day, I started thinking about it, and I got really sad. But I thought, “This isn’t my body. What is happening here?”

Where she is in the IVF process:
“Last November, I had three embryos made, and we put them in the freezer…. Last month, I did another egg retrieval, and I got two eggs…. So now I’m realizing I have kids in a freezer. It makes it real when you know the sex. I was like, ‘What is happening?!’ So I called my mom and said, ‘Mom, you’re a grandma! Here’s what we’ve got in the freezer—don’t tell anybody. Isn’t this weird.’”

One the number one thing her mother taught her:
“Always cook more. Never be left with not enough. We overdo it. When you cook really good food, most people are going to eat more, so it’s good to have a little extra. Also, keep it simple.”

On the fad diets she tried before losing over 40 pounds:
“The coffee diet, the grapefruit diet, all of them. Nothing lasted more than a day.”

On indulging during a cheat day:
“I don’t look at them as cheat days. The other night, the hormones had gotten to me, and I was like, ‘I want to go get an ice cream.’ don’t feel guilty about it.”

On what her wedding will be like:
“It’ll be outside, for sure…. But we’re trying to figure out the kid thing first because that’s the most time-pressing—and the most important.”

[From Health]

My only issue with her idea to cook more is that when I do that I am usually the one who ends up eating it. I tried every fad diet in the book, too, only to ultimately find success with portion control and exercise – *sigh* who knew?

Okay, actually I am just stalling because I don’t want to write this next part. After Maria gave the Health interview, she announced that the first round of IVF didn’t work by posting her negative pregnancy test to Snapchat. It broke my heart when I read that. Maria said they wanted two kids so she would have to go through the whole process twice. Of the first round’s embryos, Maria said, “two were bad quality, one was fair quality, and two were good quality,” I am not sure what this means for her chances. I imagine her wedding will be on hold for the time being. Not that it matters, she and Keven are obviously committed to each other. Whatever happens with her family planning, I am sure Maria will make the most of it. I do wish them luck on their journey. I know it can be a very bumpy path.

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Photo credit: Health Magazine and Fame/Flynet Photos

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24 Responses to “Maria Menounos tries IVF after being told: ‘You’re not able to have kids’”

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  1. Jezza says:

    She seems like such a sweetheart whenever I see her on TV or read about her. I hope IVF works for them. Fingers crossed for her!😊

  2. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    I hope with all my heart she gets her baby. My (unsolicited) advice would be – just get a baby or a child. Don’t be too hung up on having it yourself. Adopt or use a surrogate if this next round doesn’t work out. My first husband wanted only “his” baby (because God knows the world needed more of his DNA around) and I used up all of my time. Good luck, Maria.

    • Kitten says:

      Yeah I think it’s smart for her to consider these options but at the same time, I don’t think she should stop trying yet.

      My good friend’s husband has a rare congenital chromosomal abnormality that prevented them from carrying a baby to term. They had four heartbreaking miscarriages over the course of two years. They always kept the option for adoption open but continued trying to conceive with the help of treatments and they just had a baby earlier this year 🙂
      I think she shouldn’t give up hope yet..but I do think it’s smart to have other options on the backburner.

      • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

        Oh, I agree. I wasn’t clear. You can keep trying even after you adopt. Just don’t write that off as an option.

        As for your friend, give that baby a big welcome to the world hug for me. I’m so happy to hear stories like that, and there are so many of them. ❤️

      • ShinyGrenade says:

        Was that a translocation? (My husband has one, we did 2 IVF, so far without success, but another frozen embryo transfer in a few week).
        It’s encouraging to read about success story!

        I wish Maria all the success. And it’s great celebrities talk about infertility. It’s 1 on 6 couples. And we often live in shame and have to endure silly people saying stuff like : Maybe you are not made to have kid. Just adopt, it’s easy and cheap (WHATTTTT, it’s over 8 years and over 30 000 $ here to adopt). Anyway. Thank to her to talk about her struggles.

  3. Amide says:

    Stuff like this worries me. I can’t lie.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      About yourself? Don’t be worried, friend. Maybe have a checkup now if it will reassure you.

  4. Pinky says:

    It was premature for her to announce to her mother she was a grandma, when all they had were fetuses. Anyway, I wish her luck. Infertility is no joke and can be devastating. It’s really a trial and stressor on every facet of your life and being.

    –TheRealPinky

    • Amide says:

      It can be utterly devastating. That’s why bump watch and “she just doesn’t want children”declarations get to me. I’m single but I have friends who are struggling; one who miscarries once it goes past 6 weeks (it’s happened to her thrice). While at the same time having to tell the world “you’re not ready for kids” just to hide your inner pain and avert their pity.

  5. Kitten says:

    Oh no…I have professed my Menounos Love many times around here. I am so sad for her. I always appreciate how open she is about her past struggles with her weight, and now her struggles with getting pregnant. I also love all the work she does for animals.

    Keep at it, Maria! Stay positive, keep trying, don’t give up.

  6. carol says:

    Gosh, my heart goes out to all those people who have difficulties having kids. IVF is so expensive and so emotionally taxing. I hope they are successful and can have a kid or two. And if not, they can adopt if they so choose too.

  7. Thais says:

    It is hard. I went thru fertility treatments too and it was honestly one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

    One failed round of IVF is hard but she can try again. Didn’t Jaime King do something like 10 rounds before it took? And she has two kids now. That poor girl went thru fertility treatments for years. If there’s a will, there’s a way (even if it involves a donor egg or a surrogate).

    I wish egg freezing had been more accepted years ago. I often urge my single girlfriends in their 30s to get a batch or two frozen. Yes, it’s a huge pain and its expensive and it may not work. But at least you’ve got some younger eggs in the freezer.

    • ShinyGrenade says:

      It is not that effective. Eggs don’t thaw that well.
      Embryo do thaw very well.

      Over here, unless it’s freezing eggs before chemo or something similar, is is not that recommended to freeze eggs.

      • isabelle says:

        yeah…freezing actually has a low percentage rate of being viably fertile later. It may take eventually though if you store multiple eggs. Wealthier people are able to store many more eggs than us average beckys. It seems, you will get results instantly but it probably comes at the failure of other tries. Meanwhile, average women may not get those multiple chances. Docs. usually warn thierpatienst those of those failures. The things celebs don’t mention in their mention of IVF treatments.

  8. Elleno says:

    Having gone through 7 rounds of IVF to get my 2 kids (both frozen cycles), I can say, its a numbers game. I really hope she keeps trying and is successful. If you can make a blastocyst (the cluster of cells about 5 days post fertilization that look like a bunch of grapes) that’s a good sign. I didn’t mess around with freezing low quality eggs, just kept trying to make blastocycts, threw them in 2 at a time, until one of them (or two) stuck. My problem was poor egg quality, early peri-menopause, and a thyroid issue. Note this was my experience, and I’m not a doctor, nor am I telling everyone in the world what they should do – everyone’s journey is different.

  9. ShinyGrenade says:

    My heart breaks for her. Our first round of IVF was a massive failure, and it’s soul crushing.
    I was 30, so nope, not old. But my husband has a genetic condition.
    We did a second round, first transfer fail, and second and ultimate one in a few weeks.

    It’s a gruesome process, it’s devastating and there is so much judgment about it.

    Good luck to her and to every infertile couples out there.

    • paleokifaru says:

      Good luck to you. We went without answers after testing at a year of trying, got pregnant, miscarried before the second trimester, and when we were about to start Clomid a cyst filling my left ovary was discovered….and apparently had been noted in two ultrasounds months before during the time of my miscarriage and subsequent D and C. I’m now recovering from surgery where thankfully they saved my ovary and found more endometriosis in my pelvis. Hoping to start Clomid next month. It’s so emotionally draining. Good luck with this next transfer. I’m rooting for you!

  10. Mel M says:

    I feel for her too. After going the IVF route twice myself I know the drill and how emotionally and physically taxing it is. With her only getting two or three eggs per retrieval though it sounds like an egg issue which can be really hard to deal with and lots of women end up with doner eggs. And if she already knows the genders it sound like they are doing chromosomal testing on them before they implant. It’s still so early though so she has time and I hope she keeps trying.

  11. nicegirl says:

    My heart aches for Maria – I have had such an easy time getting pregnant and I wish so much that those who WANT children so badly would get them. It is wonderful to hear of people working so hard because they want to be parents. How great would it be if everyone who had children actually wanted them? A world of wanted children! Good luck Maria.

    • paleokifaru says:

      I just really want to thank you for this sweet comment. I know it’s a really difficult thing for fertile people to understand and it can be really tough for those of us with problems to discuss them with those who haven’t had to deal with these issues. Your comment was so loving and supportive!

  12. Jegede says:

    This thread is searingly educational and touching.

    Thanks to all for your insights and experiences.

  13. Louise says:

    I feel sorry for Maria. Those egg retrieval numbers are not good. With only three eggs collected, one or two may not be mature or may not fertilise. The numbers go down very quickly. I have done IVF over ten times. I really hope she gets good medical advice going forward.

  14. taz says:

    I am 35 with Endometriosis level 3/4 (4 being highest) and after the second round of IVF failed was told that IVF isn´t an option for me. It is crushing, I am sorry for oversharing as I just found out 2days ago and am still trying to process. I was also diagnosed with Endomeiosis and as a result needed a surgery earlier this year, after which the second failure of IVF and a prognosis negative (that I cannot continue) has really left me devastated.