Kourtney Kardashian Faced A Hard, Lesser-Known Truth About Freezing Eggs During Her IVF Journey

For would-be parents facing fertility issues, in vitro fertilization, aka IVF, is often seen as a magic solution. And this procedure has become increasingly common since its invention in the '70s — even celebrities have taken this path, from Chrissy Teigen to Michelle Obama. But some stars, like reality TV personality Kourtney Kardashian and her husband, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, have had less-than-stellar IVF experiences.

While certain experts think there are red flags in Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's relationship, the duo was always keen to start a family together, and had already started trying for kids before their 2022 wedding. However, it wasn't a quick or easy path for them to conceive. Although Kardashian already had three children, she turned 43 in 2022, placing her squarely in the high-risk category of "Advanced Maternal Age," which begins at age 35.

Luckily, the Lemme founder had frozen some of her eggs in her 30s, which could now be used for IVF. But the process didn't go as they'd hoped. "Most of mine didn't survive the thaw because eggs are one cell, and none of them made it into an embryo," Kardashian revealed in the premiere episode of "The Kardashians" Season 3 (per People). On paper, she and Barker had done everything right, but attempt after attempt came back negative. So why didn't IVF work for them?

IVF requires removing eggs from the ovaries and manually inseminating them with a partner's sperm, all in a lab setting. This procedure is often a fallback for couples struggling to conceive, repeat moms seeking treatment for secondary infertility, or older mothers who have previously frozen eggs to keep them viable. "I had seven frozen eggs from years ago, before Travis," Kardashian explained in "The Kardashians" Season 3 premiere. "When I was 38 or 39, everyone was, like, pushing me to do that."

What many hopeful parents don't realize is that freezing and thawing eggs for IVF isn't always successful. "The freezing of eggs isn't guaranteed," Kardashian continued. "It's a misunderstanding, people do it thinking it's a safety net, and it's not." In fact, a study from Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology shows that the general success rate of IVF is only between 45-55% — and this percentage quickly gets lower as the mother gets older.

In Kardashian's case, the supposed safety net provided by IVF never materialized, leaving her and Barker in a cycle of hope and disappointment. Eventually, enough was enough. "We are officially done with IVF," she declared in the same episode of "The Kardashians." This wasn't a hasty decision — they only gave up on IVF after repeated attempts. As Kardashian later revealed to fans on Instagram (per Sky News), "I stopped after a year of trying (five failed IVF cycles, three retrievals)."

For Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, letting go of their IVF hopes was ultimately the right choice — the couple conceived a son, Rocky Thirteen, "100% naturally" a year after halting their treatments (per Women's Health). Now, Kardashian stands out as one of the few celebrities who've bared it all about being unable conceive on IVF. Her candor on "The Kardashians" even turned out to be a teachable moment for many viewers. "I actually learned something when she said that about the eggs not lasting that long. I had no idea," one Redditor commented. Another agreed, writing, "It had NEVER [occurred] to me that the eggs could possibly not work out."

In truth, IVF can fail in various ways and for various reasons, no matter what the contributing parents do. Understanding this is the first step toward lightening any guilt or grief. Fertility issues can feel very private, but anyone struggling with conception — with or without IVF — should know that they aren't alone. There are therapy options, support groups, and even some incredible fiction books about women struggling with infertility.

And for those just embarking on their fertility journey, remember that knowledge is power. In particular, it's important to weigh the pros and cons of any potential treatment. As Kardashian explained in "The Kardashians," Season 3 premiere, "My health is still impacted because [IVF is] hormones, and mentally it definitely took a toll." Sometimes, this may mean accepting that the result is out of your hands. "I think being happy is what's important," Kardashian continued. "We're just embracing that whatever is meant to be will be."