Nigerian media personality and filmmaker Stephanie Coker Aderinokun has opened up about her struggles with infertility and the emotional toll it took on her. In a recent interview on the “With Chude” podcast, Coker Aderinokun revealed that she contemplated suicide after a failed IVF procedure, despite spending approximately $40,000 on the process.
“It was a costly decision to decide on IVF, we are talking about $40,000 back then. I got pregnant on the first IVF, and the second one failed, and I wanted to stand in front of a car and just let the car hit me,” she shared.
Coker Aderinokun had undergone IVF in Los Angeles, and the devastating news of the failed procedure was delivered to her over a phone call by a nurse. “I hated myself then because I felt I had travelled to Los Angeles to get pregnant, and the nurse called me to say, ‘Hi Stephanie, I am sorry to give you this bad news.’ I told the nurse I couldn’t go back home with no baby. I asked myself, ‘What did I spend all this money and time on?'” she recounted.
This isn’t the first time Coker Aderinokun has spoken about her struggles with infertility. She was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) at 16 and has documented her journey in a documentary series on her YouTube channel titled “African and Pregnant”. PCOS is a condition in women characterized by irregular or no menstrual periods, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth.
Other Nigerian celebrities have also shared their struggles with infertility. Actress Adesua Etomi-Wellington, who was diagnosed with PCOS, spoke about her experience with IVF and surrogacy, “I didn’t think there was any point anymore, because society had taught me that I had to be a mother to be appreciated.” She eventually welcomed a son through a surrogate mother.
Actress Nse Ikpe-Etim also shared her struggles with infertility due to adenomyosis, a condition that led to the removal of her womb. “I’m thankful that that didn’t break me,” she said, speaking about the emotional impact of societal expectations and online trolls.