Nigerian media personality and filmmaker, Stephanie Coker Aderinokun, has opened up about a deeply personal struggle, revealing that she once contemplated suicide following a failed In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure, despite spending nearly $40,000 on the treatment.
Speaking in a candid conversation on the “With Chude” podcast, Stephanie recounted the emotional and financial toll the fertility journey had on her, describing how the heartbreak of a failed IVF attempt pushed her to the edge.
According to her, after successfully conceiving during her first round of IVF, she believed her path to motherhood was secure. However, when her second attempt failed, the disappointment became unbearable.
“It was such an expensive decision — around $40,000 at the time. I got pregnant after the first cycle, but the second time it failed, and I remember thinking I just wanted to step in front of a moving car,” she shared.
Stephanie also revealed that she had traveled to Los Angeles for the procedure, only to be crushed after receiving a phone call from a nurse breaking the devastating news.
“I felt completely useless. I couldn’t stop asking myself how I’d return to Lagos without a child,” she said. “The nurse called and said, ‘Hi Stephanie, I’m sorry to give you this bad news.’ At that moment, I couldn’t process it. I had spent all this money and time, and still had no baby.”
Her story echoes the fertility struggles shared by other Nigerian celebrities who have spoken on the same platform. Actress Ini Edo, for instance, turned to surrogacy, while Nse Ikpe-Etim revealed she had undergone a hysterectomy after being diagnosed with adenomyosis — all highlighting the silent battles many women face on the road to motherhood.