Farah Khan opens up about IVF struggles, societal pressure
What's the story
Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan has opened up about her difficult journey with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment. Speaking to Sania Mirza on Serving It Up with Sania, she revealed that she had two failed attempts before finally getting pregnant with triplets on her third try. She also shared how physically and emotionally taxing the process was for her.
Societal pressure
'Everyone pretended like a stork had dropped the baby...'
Khan, who married filmmaker Shirish Kunder at 39, spoke about the societal pressure to have children. "It was quite common even then, but no one spoke about it. Everyone pretended like a stork had dropped the baby into their stomach," she said. "I was probably the first celebrity to talk about it openly... It's completely legal, why should it be a taboo?"
Physical toll
'Everything was three times more intense...'
Khan also opened up about the physical toll of her pregnancy. "Because I was carrying triplets, everything was three times more intense. I would throw up constantly, and my body broke out in rashes," she said. "I could barely sleep, at any time, one of the babies was pressing on my bladder. I practically lived in the loo."
Emotional journey
'I just lay in bed crying for two days...'
The emotional aspect of the IVF process was just as difficult for Khan. "I had to take daily injections on my thigh or stomach. The first two times it didn't work, I just lay in bed crying for two days," she said. She credited her husband, Kunder, as her constant source of strength, sharing that he never missed a single doctor's appointment and supported her through every step of the journey.
Celebrity perspective
'Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan both did surrogacy...'
Khan also mentioned celebrities like Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who have openly shared their experiences. "Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan both did surrogacy and spoke about it openly." "But there are still people who insist their twins were 'natural.' I just say, 'God bless you,'" she laughed. Farah welcomed triplets, Czar, Diva, and Anya, in 2008 with Kunder. They will turn 18 next year.