Preloading

Journey to Parenthood

Kendall and Jennifer
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In their quest to have a baby, many couples struggle through years of expensive medical treatments and emotional setbacks. Oprah Show correspondent Lisa Ling investigates a new option that some parents are trying—and it takes them farther from home than they ever imagined.

When Jennifer and Kendall married five years ago they couldn't wait to have a baby. "We've both come from big families," Jennifer says. "We always imagined having a family and being parents." For three years, they struggled with infertility, even attempting in vitro fertilization. "We've probably spent about $25,000 or $30,000," Jennifer says. "It was basically everything we had saved up."

Despite all their efforts, Jennifer could not conceive. "I think so many of us are taught as kids by our parents that you can do anything you set your mind to," Jennifer says. "Fertility is completely different. You're finally thrown into this world of, 'I cannot do this. No matter how hard I try, I cannot accomplish this.' So it's probably the worst kind of failure."
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Published 01/01/2006
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