Alex is an expat from England living in Prague. He works as a blogger and editor, and studied History at university. Alex is an avid fan of Czech literature and film.
Infertility affects millions of people all around the globe – an estimated 90 million, if we’re talking numbers. Of course infertility is a big word, and it includes a number of conditions that may limit the ability to conceive. Low sperm count, endometriosis and ageing are just some infertility issues, and each needs special treatment in its own way. Out of these millions, a good number are names that we know from television, music and film – they suffer infertility just like anyone else. How do the starlit names of our generation deal with such difficulties? In this article we look at some hard facts and inspiring stories that bring the stars down to earth.
First of all, celebrity infertility is much more common that you might think. Did you know that Nicole Kidman, Courtney Cox, Tyra Banks and Kim Kardashian have all struggled to conceive? Each has their own testimony, and their stories have always ended in some kind of success. For Kidman and others, adoption was the answer, and Angelina Jolie has also followed this path. Some chose surrogate pregnancy, such as Kardashian. However the most common option amongst these names and many more is IVF; in-vitro fertilisation. Recent additions to this list include the singer Natalie Imbruglia, who at 44 is now pregnant thanks to the process. We can also mention former model Katie Price, who at 41 is hoping to get twins out of IVF.
So why IVF? The truth is that many people, not just celebrities, chose this process every year, and travel the whole world over in search of IVF professionals. There are now more than 8 million babies in the world who were born through IVF, more than 1,000 fertility clinics in the USA and countless more in Europe. The ‘secret’ of the celebrities is reassuringly similar to what millions chose quite regularly. If there is any secret to speak of, it’s their huge budgets that top notch treatment that aids success – but do you need to be a celebrity to afford IVF?
Not so, it seems. The industry of medical tourism has boomed in the last decade or so, and customers frequently go to clinics all over the world for IVF treatment. Western IVF cycles are expensive, in the USA it can cost over 15,000 dollars, so cheaper clinics in places such as Prague, Czech Republic have become popular. Part of their popularity is that they have the same high, Western standards as the UK and USA at a much lower price. Some people even go as far as India and Turkey for such treatments.
So if you’re feeling inspired, and want to join the celebrity choice, fear not. You don’t need millions, but you might need a flight ticket!
Sources:
https://ivi-fertility.com/blog/infertility-in-europe/
https://people.com/health/celebrities-dealing-with-infertility/?
https://news.yahoo.com/katie-price-seeks-ivf-treatment-to-help-her-have-twins-104356318.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180703084127.htm