Erin Andrews is known for her work as a sideline reporter. But behind the scenes of her sports commentary, the journalist struggled for years to conceive a child. And recently, the 46-year-old made a vulnerable confession about trying to conceive baby No. 2.
Andrews and former NHL player husband Jarret Stoll married in 2017. They started dating in December 2012 before Jarret popped the question almost exactly four years later. For the next nine years, they struggled with infertility before finally welcoming their son, Mack, via surrogate in 2023.
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Recently, Erin Andrews made a confession about trying to conceive a second child. During an interview with E! News published on October 12, 2024, Erin revealed she and Jarret hope to have another baby.
"We're talking about trying it again," she told the outlet. "And I was really, really honest with my doctor a couple weeks ago. I just said, 'We've had so much high with the birth of Mack and how great he's doing that I don't want to go back to that place of failure again, and I'm really, really afraid of it.'"
She said talking about having another baby triggers PTSD. In addition to feeling afraid of failure, Erin explained the idea of trying again brings back a torrent of emotions.
"It's crazy, because once you get back on the phone with your fertility doctor and you start talking about the journey again, PTSD all comes back of how crappy you felt, how numb your body gets, just the fear of loss," she told E! News. "So, it's a lot. It’s a loaded thing."
Thankfully, Erin has the support of her husband, who isn't afraid to talk about the tough stuff. Erin acknowledged that sometimes, "men don't want to talk about this stuff" even though "they're also feeling the feels, too." However, she said her former NHL star husband was "really, really great" amid the lows of expressing himself.
During the rough times, Jarret would tell her, "'This sucks. This just isn't great. I feel really crappy, and I feel like a failure,'" Erin recalled, "And that really helped a lot too."
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Additionally, Erin acknowledged the toll infertility can take on couples. She encouraged couples experiencing infertility to "be really honest with each other" during her sit-down with E! News.
"You have to give each other a break. You have to have patience," she advised. "It's taxing on your financials as well, which also brings stress to your marriage. It's not cheap. It's awful."
She concluded, "There's nothing about the infertility journey that I would say is great, except your end product. When you are able to have the baby and you're like, 'Wow, you were worth it.'"
Erin has also opened up about her cervical cancer diagnosis. In 2016, Erin was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She underwent surgery 17 days after receiving the news and has since become a vocal advocate for preventive care.
"Every two hours a woman dies of cervical cancer," she told People in 2018. "I’m out there to encourage women to get to your doctor and go get checked. Cervical cancer is preventable and treatable but our goal is to get women to their doctors. Women shouldn’t be dying of this."
She added, "We've got to stop with the excuses you have to put it in your calendar and you have to go."
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
