Gwen Walz clarifies she went through IUI fertility journey rather than IVF

‘Our fertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience,’ Gwen Walz says

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Gwen Walz has clarified that she went through an intrauterine insemination (IUI) fertility journey rather than in vitro fertilization (IVF) with her husband, vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.

In an interview with Glamour, Gwen came forward to clarify her husband’s comments on her difficult fertility journey. She said it took a long time for her to be able to talk about it, even to her close friends and family.

“Our fertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience,” she admitted. “Like so many who have experienced these challenges, we kept it largely to ourselves at the time.”

She added: “Many of our closest family and friends were surprised when we shared these experiences so many years later.”

It took a village to ensure their parenthood journey, with a nurse and neighbor of theirs routinely stopping by to help “with the shots I needed as part of the IUI process” to help them stay “on track,” Gwen said. She also noted that her husband would often “rush home from school” after a full day of teaching to support her as the nurse administered the shots.

“Like millions of families across the country,” she said. “For years, Tim and I tried to start a family through fertility treatments.”

At the time, Gwen underwent intrauterine insemination, a process in which sperm is directly placed into the uterus to improve the chances of egg fertilization. The process is practiced to increase the number of healthy sperm and the likelihood of sperm reaching the fallopian tubes.

After being married since 1994, the couple welcomed their daughter, Hope, now 23, in 2001, and their son Gus, now 17, in 2006.

“We hope other families find solace in our story,” she explained. “Knowing that pain, I cannot fathom the cruelty of politicians who want to take away the freedom for couples to access the care they need.”

She continued: “After seeing the extreme attacks on reproductive health care across the country - particularly the efforts in Alabama that jeopardized access to fertility treatments - Tim and I agreed that it was time to formally speak out about our experience.”

Tim previously credited IVF procedures for his and Gwen’s children, telling MSNBC in July: “Thank God for IVF, my wife and I have two beautiful children.” On other occasions, he has referred to their use of “fertility treatments.”

Recently, Gwen called out Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance during a Democrat fundraising call.

“If Trump had his way, I would have never become a mom,” she said, referencing the VP candidate’s infamous “childless cat lady” comments. “If Vance had his way, that would make me a second-class citizen.”

“That’s not the future I want for my children, or your children, or any children,” she added at the time.

Her husband shares her concerns, noting that conservatives are attacking one of the US’s most “basic” freedoms.

“When and if to start a family is one of our most basic freedoms in this country,” Tim said. “Attacking the ability for families to even have children exposes Republicans’ true colors and shows just how far they are willing to go to limit freedom.”

“This should scare the hell out of every single person in this country,” he continued. “No matter which political party you belong to.”

Since going public with their difficult fertility journey in March 2024, the couple said they were touched by those who reached out, sharing similar experiences with them.

The family’s comments come after a year that has thrown the fertility industry in a tailspin. Back in February 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court decided in a landmark ruling that frozen embryos are classified as children under state law. The decision sent shockwaves throughout IVF centers, with many providers fearing they could face prosecution for the commonplace practice of freezing and discarding embryos.

Although the widespread and bipartisan backlash led Alabama lawmakers to swiftly pass a bill shielding doctors from legal liability for the destruction of embryos, the law did not explicitly address all the issues from the initial ruling, including the legal question of “fetal personhood.”