For a while now on this blog, we’ve followed Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burrus's struggles with fertility, fibroids and pregnancy. (And we're so excited for her Season three of the Masked Singer win!) Fibroids (which disproportionately affect African American women like Burruss) are non-cancerous tumors. But they can still make it difficult for women to become pregnant or carry a baby to term. And because Kandi has stayed honest and open about her family’s journey, helping other fibroid sufferers feel heard, she is—once again—our Woman Crush Wednesday honoree.
Kandi and her husband, Todd Tucker, share a three-year-old son, Ace, who they welcomed through IVF. While Kandi was able to carry and deliver Ace, her pregnancy was high-risk because of her fibroids. And she faced serious medical complications during her pregnancy.
That IVF cycle left the couple with some embryos which could expand their family. But given Kandi’s health struggles, they realized it would be too risky for her to try and make it through another pregnancy. That’s when they decided to explore surrogacy—when another woman carries your fertilized embryo—with the help of OBGYN Dr. Jackie Walters, who stars on Bravo TV’s Married to Medicine.
In a recent interview with The Daily Dish, Dr. Walters said, "I am so excited that Kandi wants to keep expanding her family because she is my patient, whether it's with her or a surrogate. So, keep having babies. I love it. Have more babies!"
Even with the joy of anticipating her new baby’s arrival, Kandi’s surrogacy experience wasn’t easy. In fact, Kandi recently revealed that her surrogate was initially carrying twins, but lost one of her embryos.
“We actually was supposed to be having twins, and then one of them didn’t continue,” she said, continuing, “I was sad at first, but then I just had to be grateful that the one made it.”
And even with her gratitude, Kandi acknowledged it was difficult to have another woman carry her child. “I just feel like this whole situation is strange,” she said. “[You] don’t get to be excited about the first kick... [or] about, ‘Oh now my baby bump is showing…’ You have this guilt [and] sadness,” she said, concluding, “So it’s a joyous, yet interesting experience.” Kandi’s baby is due this month.
As Houston fibroid specialists, we think that Kandi described it perfectly. When you have fibroids, starting or expanding your family will still be joyous. And yes, it will almost always still be possible.
What you have to keep in mind is that your journey to reaching your family goals may be, well, a bit more interesting than other people’s. And that’s ok. Just follow Kandi’s example, and look for the joy wherever you can. Thanks, #WCW, Kandi: you’re an inspiration to any woman struggling with fertility and fibroids!
Sources: The Daily Dish
Scheduling
Please contact our dedicated specialists to schedule a consultation today.
2024 Houston Fibroids. All rights reserved. Website Design by Healthcare Success
