A Candid Conversation About Infertility
Dealing with infertility can be one of the toughest experiences a person goes through. And that’s exactly what TV personality Katie Lee wants her fans to know — they’re not alone in this journey. After spending months trying to conceive following her September 2018 wedding, the Food Network star bravely opened up about the difficulties she and her husband, Ryan Biegel, have faced while trying to start a family.
“When Ryan and I got married, our plan was to start a family right away. I couldn’t wait to get pregnant!” Katie, 37, wrote in an emotional essay she shared on Instagram. “I naively thought it would be easy. I’m a healthy woman; I eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and don’t smoke. Ryan is the same. But reproductive health is an entirely different ballgame, and it hit us hard.”
View this post on InstagramI get multiple messages a day asking me if I’m pregnant or why I am not pregnant yet. I get comments saying I look like I’ve gained weight, so I must be pregnant. After one said that I looked “thick in the waist” I finally responded that it’s not ok to comment on a woman’s body and you never know what someone is going through. There is so much pressure on women to look a certain way and while most mean well with baby questions, it can be hurtful. Many of you sent me messages sharing your personal stories of fertility issues. You helped me, so now I want to share my story with you. When Ryan and I got married, our plan was to start a family right away. I couldn’t wait to get pregnant! I naively thought it would be easy. I’m a healthy woman, I eat a balanced diet, exercise, I don’t smoke. Ryan is the same. But reproductive health is an entirely different ballgame. We were trying, I had to have surgery to correct a problem, got an infection, then I was so run down I got shingles. My doctor advised us to try iVF. We just finished the intense process only to get zero healthy embryos. Not only is iVF physically exhausting, the emotional toll is unparalleled. We were filled with hope and excitement only to be crushed. It is really hard to put on a happy face. Fertility issues are supposed to be private so many of us are silently in pain. I hesitated to share this but I feel comfort when I hear others’ stories and I hope any of you in a similar situation know you are not alone. When people ask me when I’m getting pregnant, it hurts. It’s just a reminder that I’m not. When they say I look like I’ve gained weight, I have. I can’t exercise as much and the hormones have made me bloated. At church on Easter, the priest started his sermon with a story about a family struggling to have a baby and the happiness they are now experiencing that their prayers have been answered. He said it is a time of new beginnings. Tears streamed down my face. I know a family will happen for us, it is just going to be a different journey than we imagined. We will keep working towards it. Someday we will have our happy new beginning and I pray any of you experiencing the same will have yours too.
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Opening Up About the Struggles
Katie, who felt compelled to share her story after receiving numerous messages asking if she was pregnant or why she wasn’t, explained the emotional and physical challenges she and Ryan have faced. “We were trying, but I had to have surgery to correct a problem, then I got an infection, and eventually, I was so run down that I ended up with shingles,” she revealed. It’s not just the physical toll that’s been hard, but the emotional aspect as well.
Having been previously married to Billy Joel from 2004 to 2010, Katie admitted that the situation was so grueling that her doctor recommended they try in vitro fertilization (IVF). “We just finished the intense process, only to discover that we didn’t end up with any healthy embryos,” she said. “IVF is not only physically exhausting but emotionally draining. It’s tough to keep up appearances and maintain a happy face when you’re going through something so difficult.”
Breaking the Silence
Although her message is deeply personal, the star of The Kitchen emphasized the importance of opening up about infertility. “Fertility issues are often considered private matters, and many of us suffer in silence,” Katie wrote. “I hesitated to share this, but hearing others’ stories has brought me comfort. I hope anyone going through a similar situation knows they’re not alone. When people ask me when I’m getting pregnant, it hurts. It’s a constant reminder that I’m not.”
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