Fox News Channel’s Alisyn Camerota Opens Up About Infertility
Alisyn Camerota struggled with infertility for three years. After undergoing numerous treatments and four IVF cycles, she gave birth to twin girls and then surprisingly gave birth to a son without any treatments at all. She’s a board member of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association and leads a weekly support group for women dealing with infertility.
The Bump: How long were you trying to get pregnant?
Alisyn Camerota: It was about a three-year struggle, and I actually started trying on my wedding night. I wasn’t surprised, though — I always suspected I was going to have trouble trying to conceive. I had irregular cycles, so I could never predict what my body was going to do.
TB: Which treatments did you try?
AC: I really covered the gamut — from Clomid, the least invasive, to IVF, the most invasive. Doctors say that after six months of trying, if you’re a certain age, you should see a specialist, so that’s what I did. It was tough — with every passing week I grew more and more despondent and less hopeful. Once you’ve exhausted the whole arsenal of treatments and it’s still not working, you get really down. I thought that none of this would ever work for me.
TB: *_Did you try any alternative fertility treatments?
AC: *_I was a big fan of nonmedical treatments. I changed my diet and started eating only organic foods and stuck to whole grains. I cut out fast food, soda, alcohol and caffeine. I took yoga and acupuncture every week and wrote in my journal regularly. I really believe this is what tilted the scales in my favor — plus, it enabled me to take back some of my power instead of just handing it over to the doctors. I did ultimately become pregnant through my fourth time with IVF, but I maintained this healthy way of living — I really became a convert to being in touch with my body. I think that this healthy lifestyle enabled me to get pregnant without any treatments and give birth to my son 22 months later.
TB: How was your experience with infertility emotionally?
AC: Infertility is an all-consuming ordeal, and I took it hard. It never leaves you — it’s with you every single day. It was a dark, isolating time.
TB: What are some ways women who are experiencing infertility can gain support?
AC: Support groups provide a real sense of strength and comfort. That meeting once a week was the only time I felt I could let my guard down, feel comfortable and be with other women who could relate to exactly what I was going through. Women can go to RESOLVE.org to find a free, local support group. It’s important to remember that there is support out there, and it’s best to do it as early in the process as possible.
TB: Why did you decide to start speaking out about infertility?
AC: I didn’t talk about infertility at all while I was going through it. Instead, I suffered in silence. I had my reasons, as all women do, but I did vow that if I ever had success, I would talk about it. When you hear that others are going through the same struggles, it really does a world of good to people still in the throes of their own struggles. I’ve been lucky and blessed enough that it worked out, so I’m happy to shoulder the burden for other people.
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