Nollywood producer and television personality Stephanie Coker has bravely shared her harrowing journey with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and her battle with suicidal thoughts following a failed IVF attempt.
In a heartfelt conversation with Chude Jideonwo, Coker revealed the intense struggles she faced while trying to conceive her second child. She successfully conceived her first child, Ariella, through IVF but was devastated when a subsequent IVF attempt failed.
Coker described her PCOS diagnosis as “life-threatening,” recounting a period where she was confined to a wheelchair, vomiting blood, and not menstruating for an entire year. This physical and emotional toll left her feeling deeply dejected.
Reflecting on the moment of despair, Coker said, “I got pregnant and had my first child on the first IVF, but the second one failed, and I actually wanted to stand in front of a car and let the car hit me. My daughter wants a sibling. I’m not getting back on that flight with no baby. I called my friend and told her, ‘I don’t think the child liked me. It didn’t stay.’”
Her candid revelation sheds light on the often-unspoken emotional challenges faced by individuals undergoing fertility treatments and highlights the importance of mental health support in such journeys.