Women Are Sharing Their Fertility Stories With Rebel Wilson in Response to Her Own Struggle
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In December 2020, comedian and actress Rebel Wilson announced in an Instagram Live that, having hit her 40th birthday, she decided to freeze her eggs in the hopes of starting a family in the near future. Ahead of her fertility surgery, she dedicated herself to getting healthy and lost 60 pounds to ensure she would be storing away great quality eggs for later use. But, on May 3rd, Wilson announced to her followers that she had some "bad news" regarding her fertility status. Other women who have gone through infertility flooded her comments section with positivity and encouraged her to keep up the fight.
"I got some bad news today and didn't have anyone to share it with...but I guess I gotta tell someone. To all the women out there struggling with fertility, I feel ya," Wilson wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. "The universe works in mysterious ways and sometimes it all doesn't make sense...but I hope there's light about to shine through all the dark clouds."
Wilson's celebrity friends chimed in with sweet messages. "Been there repeatedly," Sharon Stone wrote, adding, "there is good news I have three beautiful sons." Alexis Knapp added, "So sorry my love. Been through it."
Other women who suffered through infertility also shared their stories in the comments. "I suffered with fertility problems, couldn't conceive but I was reminded I have a different purpose in life," one of Wilson's followers wrote. "It wasn't children but we all have a purpose. I found mine." Another added, "7 years until I got my one and only miracle who will be 19 this year. God is good."
"Here in solidarity with you! I'm an OBGYN and only 36 yo and I spent my life on my career, trying to freeze my eggs from ovaries that no longer care," another follower commented. "It's like I traded smarts and professional gains for my fertility only no one told me."
One woman wrote, "I have PCOS. My husband and I have been trying for 4 years. I feel your pain." And another added, "I totally get it. We had our 3rd embryo transfer and it failed. We are doing another egg retrieval at the end of the month. So sorry for what you're going through."
The amount of love and understanding in Wilson's comments section prompted her to update her caption on May 4th. "***UPDATE*** just wanted to say I woke up this morning and read through everyone's kind messages and stories about their journeys and I can't tell you how much that meant to me and has made me feel a lot better today," Wilson wrote. "Social media for the win here in terms of creating connection when I was in a very lonely place. So thank you everyone ."
Infertility is so common, yet it's still something that is rarely talked about in a public setting due to the shame that often coincides with it. However, reaching out to others who have gone through it as Wilson has done opens up the conversation and reminds those currently going through infertility that they are in a boat with many other passengers.
There is hope and there is solidarity, and the emotional pain of infertility is a pain that others have felt and fought through. There's no need to suffer alone.
