Jennifer Aniston has publicly shared details about her fertility journey, providing insight into her experiences and choices regarding motherhood. The actress, known for her work on The Morning Show, explained why she decided against adoption and revealed how her body ultimately determined the outcome of her efforts to conceive.
Understanding Jennifer Aniston’s Personal Fertility Experience
Jennifer Aniston has candidly discussed the challenges she has faced in trying to become a mother. She clarified her stance on adoption during an early release episode of The Armchair Expert podcast on October 14, stating,
“When people say, ‘But you can adopt,’ I don’t want to adopt,”
and added,
“I want my own DNA in a little person. That’s the only way, selfish or not, whatever that is, I’ve wanted it.”
At 56 years old, she shared that although she now feels peaceful about not having children, the decision was ultimately made by her body.
“There’s a point where it’s out of my control,”
Aniston said.
“There’s literally nothing I can do about it.”
She described the emotional impact when doctors communicate that the possibility has ended:
“It just wasn’t in the plan, whatever the plan was,”
adding,
“It’s very emotional, especially in the moment when they say ‘that’s it,’ because there is a weird moment when that happens.”
Over the years, Jennifer has been transparent about her experience with in-vitro fertilization (IVF) amid public curiosity about whether she would have children. In a November 2022 interview with Allure, she admitted,
“I was trying to get pregnant,”
and described it as
“a challenging road for me, the baby-making road.”
She has also confronted misconceptions that she prioritized her career over starting a family following her 2005 separation from Brad Pitt. In an October 8 interview with Harper’s Bazaar U.K., she expressed frustration with such narratives,
“They didn’t know my story, or what I’d been going through over the past 20 years to try to pursue a family, because I don’t go out there and tell them my medical woes,”
emphasizing, “That’s not anybody’s business.” She also reflected on the impact of these persistent rumors:
“But there comes a point when you can’t not hear it—the narrative about how I won’t have a baby, won’t have a family, because I’m selfish, a workaholic,”
concluding,
“It does affect me—I’m just a human being. We’re all human beings.”
Other Celebrities Sharing Their Fertility Stories
Bella Robertson’s Openness on Fertility Struggles
Bella Robertson, known from Duck Dynasty, and her husband Jacob Mayo have openly shared their fertility challenges on their family’s reality series. The couple feels it is important to highlight infertility, an issue often unseen by outsiders. Bella explained in a May 2025 Us Weekly interview,
“We share the story of infertility in the show and that’s something that we haven’t really shared publicly that much, but that’s something that others just don’t know.”
She added,
“When you just look at someone on social media, you can’t know what anyone’s going through,”
further stating that sharing their experiences has empowered them to be
“authentic selves on this new show.”
Olivia Culpo’s Endometriosis and Fertility Concerns
Before announcing her pregnancy with Christian McCaffrey, Olivia Culpo spoke about her diagnosis with endometriosis, which could impact her ability to conceive. In a November 2022 episode of The Culpo Sisters podcast, she explained,
“I want to have kids, but I want to make sure that I can,”
and disclosed,
“It could be really hard for me to have babies.”
She elaborated on the condition,
“Endometriosis can affect your fertility in a lot of different ways,”
noting,
“You can have endometrial tissue growing near or on your ovaries, it can affect the quality of your eggs, scar your fallopian tubes.”
Caelynn Bell’s Recent Journey with Conceiving
Caelynn Bell from Bachelor Nation has been open about the challenges she and her husband, Dean Bell, have encountered since their wedding in 2023. Speaking in a March 2025 YouTube video, she acknowledged the difficulty, saying,
“I’m putting way less pressure on myself than I was in the first few months of trying.”
Despite the emotional strain, Caelynn remains hopeful while she and Dean pursue medical evaluations to understand their situation better.
Julianne Hough’s Efforts to Preserve Fertility Amid Health Challenges
Julianne Hough, cohost of Dancing With the Stars, has shared her battle with endometriosis and her steps to safeguard fertility for the future. In June 2025, she revealed she had frozen her eggs for the third time as part of her ongoing plan to have children when she feels ready.
Whitney Port’s Family Expansion Through Fertility Treatments
Whitney Port, former star of The Hills, has publicized her fertility journey following the birth of her son, Sonny, with husband Tim Rosenman in 2017. Her path has included two pregnancy losses, as well as miscarriages suffered by a surrogate. In July 2024, Whitney announced she was preparing for a second egg retrieval.
“I’m feeling definitely better than my last round because I know a little bit more what to expect,”
she said, adding,
“and I just have so much trust and faith in my doctor.”
Despite ongoing challenges, Whitney emphasizes the completeness of her family, writing in a birthday tribute to her son,
“Especially now, as we embark on this fertility journey for number two, I know we are complete no matter what,”
and,
“You are a blessing. We love watching you grow and are beyond grateful for how chill you are.”
Michelle Yeoh’s Experience with Fertility Treatments
Michelle Yeoh, star of Everything Everywhere All At Once, married Jean Todt in 2023 after a 19-year engagement and has shared some difficulties encountered with her first husband, Dickson Poon, while trying to conceive. During a podcast appearance in November 2024, she said,
“I always wanted to have children,”
and recounted,
“I went and did fertility [treatments] to aid in the process. I think that’s the worst moment to go through is every month. You feel like such a failure.”
She reflected on coping with this reality by saying,
“At some point, you stop blaming yourself. There are certain things in your body that don’t function in a certain way. That’s how it is. You just have to let go and move on.”
Rapper Eve’s Story of Pregnancy Loss
Rapper Eve, who shares son Wilde with husband Maximillion Cooper, recounted a difficult experience with an ectopic pregnancy during the filming of her sitcom Eve. In her memoir Who’s That Girl?, she wrote,
“It was 2006 when I found out that I was pregnant,”
and explained,
“I had to have emergency surgery and stop filming the show for two weeks. I don’t know why I lied to everyone on set and said that my appendix had ruptured, really. Maybe because I was lying to myself.”
She described the emotional toll,
“If I faced losing my baby, then I didn’t know if two weeks would be enough emotional healing time,”
and noted,
“In the end, it was barely enough healing time for me physically, before I was right back to work on set. I had lost so much weight after the surgery, and my body was so frail.”
Mary Bonnet on Balancing Fertility Treatment with Life
Mary Bonnet of Selling Sunset fame, who had her son Austin at age 15, has been open about her and husband Romain Bonnet’s fertility journey. Speaking with E! News in September 2024, she admitted,
“We don’t know what the outcome is going to be,”
but indicated a calm approach,
“We’re just kind of taking it as it comes.”
She highlighted the importance of managing stress during this time, saying,
“I’ve been super busy right now with the book and with the season and everything. So, I know nothing’s going to happen if I’m stressed out and if I’m running around.”
Additionally, she said they are content with their dog, explaining,
“We have our fur baby though, Thor. Romaine is obsessed with him,”
and expressed reassurance,
“So if it doesn’t happen, he says he’s OK. He’s got his little fur baby, and he is just beyond obsessed. We’ll be OK. What’s meant to be will be.”
Erin Andrews’ Public Disclosure of Fertility Challenges
Erin Andrews, NFL sportscaster and wife of Jarret Stoll, who welcomed their son Mack in July 2023, has been transparent about the hurdles they faced on their path to parenthood. Her journey included a cervical cancer diagnosis in 2017 and the decision to freeze her eggs before treatment. She later underwent IVF to conceive. Sharing her experiences broadly, she explained in a 2021 essay,
“I just was so tired of keeping quiet,”
describing the process as “such a hard, painful journey.” She added,
“I think I went numb through most of it, because you just feel like a robot and you’re on this really unfair roller coaster that more times out of none, you’re going to get really bad news.”
Erin emphasized the importance of openness, noting,
“I’m a vocal person, and I could speak from the heart and just talk about how crappy it was and that I get it for a lot of couples and families that are trying to have a child.”
The Broader Significance of Celebrity Fertility Stories
The openness of Jennifer Aniston and other public figures about their fertility journeys sheds light on the many emotional and physical challenges faced by individuals seeking to have children. By sharing these candid accounts, these celebrities help destigmatize fertility struggles and foster greater understanding among the public. Their stories underline that such difficulties are complex and deeply personal, often involving medical interventions and emotional endurance. As more stars reveal their experiences, they contribute to an essential conversation that supports others navigating similar paths. The continuation of these discussions may encourage further awareness, medical advances, and empathy in society regarding fertility and reproductive health.
