Mariah Carey became a mother at 42. In 2011, she welcomed her twins, son Moroccan and daughter Monroe, whom she shares with Nick Cannon.
But like many women who try to conceive children in their late 30s and early 40s, she struggled greatly, having miscarried shortly after the couple wed in 2008 when Mariah was 39.
In 2010, the couple did an interview with Access Hollywood where they opened up about how they handled losing their first baby and what they did to get through it.
“It was emotional for both of us and that’s when I saw the strength,” Cannon explained. “She handled it so well and then to get on the plane and have to spend Christmas with friends and family, it definitely brought us closer together. It strengthened our relationship so much…she handled it so well.”
Mariah added to that, “It kind of shook us both and took us into a place that was really dark and difficult. When that happened…I wasn’t able to even talk to anybody about it. That was not easy.”
The couple decided that Mariah would try various methods to strengthen her fertility, including acupuncture.
Fellow musician Celine Dion – who also struggled with fertility issues – suggested acupuncture to the “Touch My Body” singer.
“Celine was talking about acupuncture,” Mariah said. “I used to get acupuncture, and I had never thought [of it] with regards to the trying to conceive situation. I was [getting acupuncture], like, once a day at least. It was on a schedule, everything. For the first time in my life, I spent time in one place.”
Mariah also was prescribed progesterone medication. According to the Cleveland Clinic, progesterone plays an important role in the reproductive system, stating it “supports menstruation and helps maintain the early stages of a pregnancy.”
“The main thing I did that was tough was to go on progesterone like every month,” she told Barbara Walters on 20/20, “ and then when I was pregnant, I had to stay with the progesterone for 10 weeks.”
Eventually, the couple turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF) in order to conceive their children. But the treatment didn’t make her pregnancy any easier.
While pregnant, Mariah was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, which both put her at risk of having pregnancy-related seizures, and would ultimately force her to be on bed rest for the later portion of her pregnancy.
But through the hardships, she pushed through and gave birth to her twins just shy of nine months later (35 weeks).
Unfortunately, Mariah and Nick divorced five years later. But they maintain a close friendship for the sake of their children, celebrating holidays together and making public appearances together.
“[My kids are] a lot, but they give me so much love in return. I wouldn’t be the same person without them,” Carey told People in 2019. “I think Nick and I have done pretty well in co-parenting, staying friends with each other so that we can talk.”
Sources:
infertilityaide.com/celebrities/mariah-careys-ivf-infertility-struggles
