Kourtney Kardashian, Who Endured Five IVF Cycles, Celebrates Turning 47 With Her Children & Husband Travis Barker

Kardashian—a mother of four with one child shared with Barker, who has three children with his ex-wife, model Shanna Moakler—celebrates her birthday during National Infertility Awareness Week, observed this year from April 19 to 25.

Although Kardashian has not faced a cancer diagnosis, her fertility journey reflects the challenges many women encounter when dealing with infertility, especially when confronted with cancer.

The World Health Organization estimates that about one in six people worldwide are affected, a figure which does not include LGBTQ+ individuals or couples, or those choosing to become parents on their own, who may also depend on assisted reproductive treatments. Established in 1989, National Infertility Awareness Week is held each April to increase understanding and push for more comprehensive access to fertility care.

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A post shared by Kourtney Kardashian Barker (@kourtneykardash)

Kardashian, who ended up conceiving naturally with Barker after going through IVF, offered insight into her IVF journey on social media about two years ago, according to People.

She explained at the time, “I stopped after a year of trying (5 failed IVF cycles, 3 retrievals) my body relaxed and I believed in God’s plan for my life.

“Lots of prayers for whatever was meant to be for us. Also lots of optimizing my health. I know how hard it is to feel like you’re not trying, but believing in God’s plan and saying your prayers is so powerful. All the best!”

She followed up with confirmation that her son Rocky was conceived “100% naturally.”

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“I want to be super clear bc it seems my answer to the IVF question may have been confusing,” Kardashian said. “I got pregnant 100% naturally, NOT through IVF… one year after stopping IVF actually. Through God’s blessing on Valentine’s Day.”

Kardashian welcomed Rocky Barker into the world on November 1, 2023. She is also mom to her children she shares with her ex Scott Disick: Mason Dash, Penelope Scotland, and Reign Aston.

Barker is also a dad to his son Landon, daughter Alabama, and stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya.

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In an earlier episode of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” seen in a clip shared on Instagram, Kourtney admitted that the IVF injections she took didn’t bother her that much as she has a “high pain tolerance,” but she experienced an emotional rollercoaster of hormones as a side effect.

“I feel like I want to jump out of my skin, like I’m so crazy … I can’t take it,” she said in the footage, before noting how she cried a lot before sleeping.

Kardashian said she would feel “very emotional” on some days, further expressing how it was the “hardest part” of her journey.

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Fertility and Cancer Treatment

Although Kourtney Kardashian didn’t battle cancer, it’s important to understand that infertility can be a side effect of some cancer treatments, but there are options to consider. Fertility preservation, for example, is available to women of childbearing age. Options for women include:

• Egg and embryo freezing (the most common practice)
• Ovarian tissue freezing
• Ovarian suppression to prevent the eggs from maturing so that they cannot be damaged during treatment.
• Ovarian transposition, for women getting radiation to the pelvis, to move the ovaries out of the line of treatment.

How Does Chemotherapy Affect Fertility?

No matter what course of action you choose to take, it is important that all women feel comfortable talking about their options prior to cancer treatment.

In an earlier interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Jaime Knopman said time was precious when dealing with fertility preservation for women with cancer. Basically, the sooner the better when it comes to having these important fertility conversations with your doctor.

Dr. Terri Woodard Discusses Options For Preserving Fertility After Cancer

“The sooner we start, the sooner that patient can then go on and do their treatment,” Dr. Knopman said. “A lot of the success comes down to how old you are at the time you froze and the quality of the lab in which your eggs or embryos are frozen in.”

IVF’s Role In Family Planning For Cancer Patients

Fertility struggles are a genuine concern among cancer patients, as certain cancer treatments can cause infertility. Fortunately, in many cases, efforts can be made before beginning treatment to help preserve fertility.

Even without a diagnosis, many couples, at one point or another, experience infertility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says within the U.S., “about one in five” married women between the ages of 15 and 49 with no prior births are unable to get pregnant after trying for a year. Additionally, “one in four” of women in this group struggle to get pregnant or carry the pregnancy to term.

WATCH: How does chemotherapy affect fertility?

Infertility can be a side effect of cancer treatment due to how it impacts the body. Various cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, can affect both men’s and women’s fertility. Before undergoing cancer treatment, patients should speak to their doctors about fertility preservation if they wish to have a family in the future.

Patients should also recognize that infertility is a problem that affects so many people hoping to be parents, and nothing to be ashamed of.

The American Psychological Association said in its Monitor on Psychology Magazine, “A diagnosis of infertility — the inability to get pregnant after a year or more of trying — can lead to depression, anxiety, and other psychological problems, trigger feelings of shame and failure to live up to traditional gender expectations, and strain relationships.”

Among men, infertility can “cut into a man’s feelings of masculinity” and “can lead to issues of shame and embarrassment,” psychologist William D. Petok told the outlet.

Surrogacy and Gestational Carriers

In some cases after battling a condition like endometriosis or undergoing cancer treatment, women may have difficulty giving birth to a child or they may be unable to at all. Having someone else carry their baby may be an option, either through surrogacy or a gestational carrier.

According to the National Cancer Institute, a surrogate pregnancy is “a type of pregnancy in which a woman carries and gives birth to a baby for a person who is not able to have children.”

“In a surrogate pregnancy, eggs from the woman who will carry the baby or from an egg donor are fertilized with sperm from a sperm donor to make an embryo,” the institute explains.

“The embryo is implanted in the uterus of the surrogate mother, who carries the baby until birth. Surrogate pregnancy may be an option for men or women who want to have children and have had certain anticancer treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, that can cause infertility.”

As for a gestational carrier, the institute describes this person as a “woman who carries and gives birth to a baby for a person who is not able to have children.”

“Eggs from an egg donor are fertilized in the laboratory with sperm from a sperm donor to make an embryo,” the institute explains. “The embryo is implanted in the uterus of the gestational surrogate, who carries the baby until birth. The gestational surrogate (or carrier) is not genetically related to the baby and is not the biological mother.”

If you or someone you know is deciding on whether or not to go the route of surrogacy or gestational carrier, it’s important to know that each state has different laws and it may be necessary to speak with an attorney before moving forward.

The Importance of Mental Health: Coping With Emotions

When a stressful life event occurs, people may react with a range of different (and quickly changing) emotions, just as Kourtney Kardashian experienced during her IVF journey. This is completely normal.

“The way people respond is very variable,” Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik tells SurvivorNet. “Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general.”

Responding to Stress: How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions

In this video, Dr. Plutchik is speaking mostly about how people react after a cancer diagnosis which can be a huge range of emotions from fear to anger to determination. However, the conclusion remains the same no matter what stressor someone may be dealing with: your emotions are valid and seeking mental health help may look different for every person.

“People have a range of emotions when they’re diagnosed with cancer,” Dr. Plutchik explains. “And they can include fear, anger … and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process. Going through a cancer diagnosis is just the beginning of a complicated, complicated process.”

Dr. Plutchik explains that the patient, or person going through the stressful event, should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support whether that’s a therapist, friends and family, or both to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions.

If a stressful event is affecting how you think and feel, it may be time to seek some sort of mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking out a support group, or many other approaches.

SN & You Presents Mental Health: Coping With Emotions

SurvivorNet has other great mental health resources for you, including more films that will inspire you.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you’re facing cancer treatment and wondering about your fertility preservation options, here are some questions you may consider asking your doctor:

• How do you expect my treatment to affect my fertility?
• Are there specialists I can talk to about my fertility preservation options?
• Is it safe for me to preserve my fertility before treatment?
• What resources are available to help me pay for fertility preservation?
• What mental health resources are available to help me cope with this?

Milestones After Health Challenges

For cancer survivors and their families, reaching life’s milestones is a big deal.

Milestones can be the birth of a child, adopting a child, getting married, traveling on a dream vacation, or reaching another birthday. Most importantly, these milestones during or after cancer tend to have a more significant meaning since many cancer patients will gain a greater sense of gratitude from all they’ve endured.

WATCH: One cancer survivor’s incredible story detailing the value of milestones.

Aside from celebrating milestones, standard day-to-day activities can also feel more special, such as planning a nice dinner or spending time working with a cancer charity.

The way you memorialize your cancer milestone could also be independent of others in the form of simple reflection or a walk in nature.

Remember, survivorship, overall, can enhance the time you spend doing all of the above.

Embracing The Uncertainty of Life

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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