Florida astronaut Kellie Gerardi gives heartbreaking update on journey with IVF
Astronaut Kellie Gerardi’s journey with trying to conceive a second child via in vitro fertilization has been challenging, to say the least.
The Jupiter, Florida, native has been totally open about the grueling process, regularly posting about her multiple doctor appointments and procedures.
Gerardi, who has a 7-year-old daughter with financier husband, Steven Baumruk, has been trying to conceive naturally for the last six years.
In the fall of 2024, the couple decided to go the IVF route, successfully retrieving 24 eggs, but eventually was told only one embryo was viable.
Modern medicine worked, briefly.
Though elated to be pregnant, after eight weeks, Gerardi sadly had to “unannounce” her baby news, just ahead of a gender reveal party.
“This is not the update I wanted to give,” she tearfully told fans in a Feb. 15 video, a day before her 36th birthday. “During that final ultrasound, there was no heartbeat.”
Gerardi added she was needing to get a D&C (dilation and curettage), to remove the existing tissue from her uterus.
In a new video on Monday, the Barnard College alum voiced her disappointment that media outlets are only picking up her story now that she’s experienced tragedy.
“I’m just feeling hurt and finding it all a bit disheartening that the stories that drive clicks are only the news of shock/sorrow/grief and almost never ones of joy,” said the post. “(And no one reaches out for comment or to ask any questions, because it’s not actually about me as a person.) Anyway, onward, one day at a time.”
The upside? The researcher will soon be reaching the stars once again, leading an all-female science mission aboard a new Virgin Galactic spacecraft.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 3:05 PM.
