Gabrielle Union, 46, longed for children as long as she could remember. She launched her acting career in the ’90s, finding success on various sitcoms and teenage comedies. The actress had reached a good point in her professional life and her personal life. After finding love with her NBA husband Dwyane Wade, her life felt almost complete. She and Wade decided they were ready to begin starting a family of their own and were ecstatic to get started. However, the journey would prove more difficult than either of them expected, according to People .
Gabrielle suffered miscarriage after miscarriage and found her hopes of having a child squashed time and time again. Eventually she was diagnosed with a form of endometriosis called adenomyosis. This medical condition drastically increases a woman’s chance of miscarrying, making it difficult if not impossible to carry a baby to full term. Through all the heartbreak, the couple refused to let go of hope. They decided to try out IVF treatments to assist them with becoming pregnant.
Gabrielle Union on infertility, surrogacy: ‘Every route to parenthood is perfect’ https://t.co/si8e4Z7gay pic.twitter.com/YXAhVT84Nd
— Dakota Surrogacy (@DakotaSurrogacy) January 24, 2019
When years of IVF treatments failed, it seemed that the couple had hit a wall. They wondered if they’d ever be able to have a child of their own. They explored other avenues and eventually opted for surrogacy in 2018. With the help of a surrogate they were able to welcome a daughter, Kaavia James, this past November. Now the couple looks at their daughter as their very own miracle baby.
Gabrielle hopes to offer encouragement to other women out there who struggle with infertility. Although the process might be tiresome and frustrating, persistence pays off. Even if a couple is not able to get pregnant the traditional way, there are many other options to consider before giving up hope. She spoke out about her journey with infertility in a heartfelt post on Instagram. In the post, she included a photo of her and her husband cradling their new daughter. “Fertility issues strike so many people,” she wrote. “You do not have to be lurking in the shadows, going to your doctor’s appointment in full disguise. You are not defective. You are part of a very, very, very large community that understands every step you have been through. There is hope.”
While traditional pregnancy wasn’t an option for Gabrielle, she has come to terms with that. She encourages other women to let go of any shame or guilt regarding exploring other methods of adding on to their family.
