The night before discovering if our fifth and likely final embryo transfer had succeeded, I sat on the couch with my husband, sobbing. The emotional toll of the 10-day wait had been intense, fluctuating between hope and doubt. Despite trying everything from acupuncture to platelet-rich plasma therapy to address my thin uterine lining, I sensed that we hadn’t succeeded. A negative home pregnancy test confirmed my fears the next morning. This heartbreaking moment was one of many throughout our journey toward conceiving a second child, a pursuit I continued alongside my demanding career as a justice correspondent at CNN.
Jessica Schneider with her husband and son in Florida at six weeks pregnant. Jessica Schneider/CNN
Our path included five embryo transfers, natural pregnancy attempts, and eventually exploring surrogacy. In early 2024, as I turned 44, I discovered I was pregnant naturally—an unexpected miracle. The journey taught me resilience and the importance of advocating for oneself. I encourage other women to hold on to hope, seek support from others who’ve faced similar struggles, and remember that while the fertility journey can be grueling, sometimes the most challenging path leads to the most extraordinary results.
