Amy Schumer Reveals She's Doing IVF & Gets Real About What It's Like

Instagram is oftentimes an aesthetic feed of picture-perfect lives, usually edited from reality. But comedian and first-time mom Amy Schumer has used the platform to reveal authentic struggles with pregnancy and, more recently, her experience with in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The actress posted a photo on Thursday revealing stomach bruises from hormonal injections. She captioned the post: "I'm a week into IVF and feeling really run down and emotional." 

The multistep process can be physically painful for women, and the necessary hormonal injections might lead to changes in mood, according to an OB/GYN. These, among other reasons, could be why Schumer wrote, "If anyone went through it and if you have any advice or wouldn't mind sharing your experience with me, please do. My number is in my bio."

The celebrity's vulnerability on social media didn't begin with IVF. She was candid throughout her pregnancy about her struggle with hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare condition that leads to persistent nausea and vomiting.

Not only did she open up about the condition, but she also called out the lack of funding dedicated to "medical studies for women, such as hyperemesis or endometriosis."

Although the actress turned to social media to seek help, she may have inadvertently given help to women in similar positions. A study published this week in the journal Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology found women to be more comfortable revealing their own difficulties with pregnancy after celebrities did. The study specifically analyzed women who used Twitter to discuss pregnancy loss, preterm births, and fertility struggles after Michelle Obama and Shawn Johnson disclosed stories of their own pregnancy loss.

Having women in the spotlight—like Schumer, Obama, and Johnson—reveal intimate experiences with fertility challenges might encourage others to do the same. This can lead to help, support, and decreased feelings of isolation, according to the study.

IVF is just one way to respond to fertility challenges. Along with the treatments, Schumer said, "We are freezing my eggs and figuring out what to do to give Gene [her 8-month-old son] a sibling."