Erin Andrews Opens Up About Going Through Her Seventh Round of IVF

Erin Andrews spoke candidly Wednesday about her fertility journey, revealing she's undergoing her seventh round of IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatments.

In a powerful essay shared on Bulletin, the Fox Sports sideline reporter, 43, who has been going through treatments since the age of 35, said she wanted to open up about her experience, noting there are many going through the "time-consuming and emotionally draining process," and "it's just not talked about."

"I'm now 43, so my body is kind of stacked against me," shared Andrews on Bulletin. "I have been trying to do IVF treatment for a while now, but sometimes it doesn't go the way you want it. Your body just doesn't allow it."

"Every cycle is different in a woman's body, so some months are better than others," continued Andrews, who has been married to retired NHL player Jarret Stoll since 2017. "When I heard this was the best time to go through another treatment, I had to figure it out all over again. How am I going to juggle this treatment on top of my work schedule? I got so stressed out. When this happens, it really makes you question: is it the future of my family or is it my job?"

A longtime sideline reporter, Andrews regularly covers the NFL's biggest games of the week, including the Super Bowl. But as Andrews shared Wednesday, she believes that in her industry, "women feel the need to keep things like this quiet." "It's so common that people are starting families late and put so many other aspects of their lives on hold," she wrote. "I decided that this time around, I would be open with my show producers about having to come to work a little later than normal because I was attending daily fertility appointments. And I am thankful I did."

Andrews added Wednesday that she is "not ashamed" and wants to be "vocal and honest" about the process, which she said can take a "mental and emotional toll" on your body. "You feel like s—t. You feel bloated and hormonal for a week and a half. You could go through this whole experience and get absolutely nothing out of it — that's the crazy part. It's a ton of money, it's a ton of time, it's a ton of mental and physical anguish. And more times than not, they're unsuccessful. I think that's why a lot of people choose to be quiet about it," she continued.

IVF itself is a treatment that involves retrieving eggs from the ovaries, inseminating them with sperm in a lab before inserting a fertilized embryo into a woman's uterus, according to the American Pregnancy Association. One full cycle of IVF takes about three weeks, according to the Mayo Clinic, and about 12 to 14 days after egg retrieval, a doctor can test a blood sample to detect a pregnancy. The chances of giving birth to a healthy child after using IVF depend on factors such as age, reproductive history, lifestyle factors (which can include smoking, alcohol, or excessive caffeine), according to the Mayo Clinic, as well as embryo status (embryos that are considered more developed are associated with higher pregnancy compared to a less-developed one).

Andrews also noted Wednesday that she yearns to change the conversation about IVF because at the end of the day, "you never know who else is going through it." Instead of feeling ashamed, we need to give ourselves more love," she wrote.

In response to her emotional post on Wednesday, Andrews — who is also a cervical cancer survivor — received messages of support from readers, thanking her for being so open. "This is really incredible. Wishing you the very best luck and thank you for sharing," wrote one reader, while another stated, "So glad you're sharing your journey, it will help so many others going through it."

Although the IVF journey "can be so isolating," as Andrews wrote, her openness can potentially make others who are struggling feel much less alone.