The retired professional US soccer star is expecting her first child in October thanks to IVF. The 41-year old announced her happy news on instagram last week.
With two World Cups and Olympic gold medals under her belt, Carli Loyd was battling infertility in secret, but is now sharing her personal journey beyond the football field. Throughout her career, motherhood was kept firmly on the back burner while she strived for sporting success.
Supported by her husband, Brian, since their high school days, Carli dedicated more than 30 years of her life to soccer, 17 of them professionally. When she retired at the relatively young age of 39 in 2021, thoughts of starting a family became more prominent. But it wasn’t to prove as straightforward as she’d expected.
Carli embarked on a challenging journey of unexplained infertility and multiple rounds of IVF treatments. This journey opened her eyes to a world she hadn’t fully understood. Despite her rigorous athletic background, she found herself facing unexpected hurdles in her quest to conceive.
Initially, Carli harbored hopes of conceiving naturally, but as months passed without success, she realized she needed to explore other options. Encouraged by a former teammate who had experienced similar struggles, she began acupuncture and sought guidance from fertility specialists.
Each IVF cycle brought its own set of emotional and physical challenges. From the initial optimism to the disappointment of failed transfers. Carli experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. She juggled her busy schedule while navigating the uncertainties of fertility treatments, all while grappling with feelings of guilt and self-doubt.
Through it all, the couple leaned on each other for support, drawing strength from their enduring bond.
Ultimately, their perseverance paid off. After three rounds of IVF, Carli received the news she had been longing for – she was pregnant. However, the journey wasn’t over yet. Each milestone, from the first ultrasound to the graduation from the fertility clinic, was met with cautious optimism and gratitude.
Carli decided to share her journey in the hope it would help break the silence surrounding infertility and offer support to others facing similar struggles. Now embracing motherhood she is filled with gratitude and optimism for the future, and sends love and luck to all fertility warriors facing the same struggles.
