Still trying. Erin Andrews opened up about her difficult fertility journey — and shared what she’s learned about herself from the process.
“It’s not easy. It’s been one of the most challenging things in my life, and I know in my husband’s life as well,” the sportscaster, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, January 24, while promoting her partnership with Dr. Scholl’s. “I’m doing OK. We’re doing well.”
The former Dancing With the Stars cohost and her husband, Jarret Stoll, have been trying to conceive a child via IVF for years. In a 2021 essay for Bulletin, Andrews revealed that she’s been undergoing “time-consuming and emotionally draining” fertility treatments since she was 35.
While the couple haven’t been successful yet, the Fox Sports reporter hopes that talking about her journey will help others who are experiencing similar issues.
Erin Andrews Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/Shutterstock
“I know for a while my husband … was like, ‘Why do you have to be so open about it?’ But once you are, you realize so many people are dealing with the same thing,” Andrews told Us. “Do I need to put everything out there? Probably not. But if I can give comfort to other people and bring things up in a discussion where people feel a little easier about bringing it up or talking about it, maybe we could start support groups or foundations for it. It’s just nothing to be embarrassed about, especially when so many people are going through it.”
On a more concrete level, the former ESPN broadcaster has learned that she’s got a much higher pain threshold than she previously thought.
“I can take about 50 needles in my stomach and just handle it better than my husband ever could,” Andrews quipped. “He’s always in the other room watching Seinfeld. I’m like, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got this, just stabbing myself for the 50th time.’ You know that you’re strong and that you can deal with it and it will get better.”
The University of Florida graduate added that remembering to laugh also helps her cope with the process. “Finding humor in it and finding comfort and being vocal with it about your friends [helps],” she explained. “Because a lot of times they don’t know how to bring it up. They don’t know if you’re going through a bad day or a good day. A lot of times I’ll just be like, ‘Yeah, this sucks,’ or, ‘This is awesome, we got great news.’”
While she and Stoll, 40, keep their fingers crossed, Andrews is also busy covering the NFL playoff games, which culminate on Sunday, January 29, with the NFC and AFC championships. Deciding what to wear on TV is always a process, but she doesn’t hesitate when it comes to her feet.
“When your feet hurt, your whole body hurts, and you’re over it,” Andrews told Us, explaining why she uses Dr. Scholl’s products including the brand’s Severe Cracked Heel Balm. “It’s great if you wanna give yourself a little massage. I don’t have a lot of time to get to a pedicure on the road, so it’s a great way after a long day on my feet to just take care of myself.”
Andrews also keeps blister cushions on hand in case her shoes cause extra pain. She still wants to look fashionable on the sidelines. “We wanna look cute,” she joked. “We wanna look fun!”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi