TV personality Seo Dong-ju has opened up about the emotional toll of her ongoing fertility treatment, revealing she is now in her third year of IVF and recently suffered two consecutive failed egg retrievals.
According to a Herald Economy report published October 16, Seo discussed her journey in a video posted to her YouTube channel on October 15, titled around letting go of the guilt she felt while preparing for pregnancy.
“Yesterday’s disappointment was a bit big,” Seo said in the video. “Even when empty follicles appeared, at least one egg would come out next time - but this time it was two empty follicles in a row. That happens sometimes, but those are the moments that are the hardest.”
She explained that her hospital believed ovulation had come early, and because the clinic was closed over the Chuseok holiday, monitoring was missed - leaving nothing to retrieve.
Seo also shared that intrauterine insemination was ruled out by her doctors: “They said even artificial insemination wouldn’t work, and told me to try natural conception instead. If natural conception happens, what a miracle that would be,” she said, expressing her frustration.
The broadcaster said she has overhauled her lifestyle for the journey - cutting out carbonated drinks entirely, drinking only water at home, and swapping coffee for jujube or ginger tea. “I’ve been doing things I never did, for seven months now,” she said.
Seo is the daughter of the late actor Seo Se-won and Seo Jung-hee, and remarried last June to an entertainment industry professional four years her junior. She said she will continue treatment while adjusting her daily habits.
