Selena Gomez can’t carry her own children: Health conditions that impact pregnancy

Singer and actor Selena Gomez has revealed she can’t carry her own children. In an interview, the 32-year-old pop star said that she has several medical conditions which could increase her risk of pregnancy complications.

“I haven’t ever said this, but I unfortunately can’t carry my own children. I have a lot of medical issues that would put my life and the baby’s in jeopardy. That was something I had to grieve for a while,” she told Vanity Fair.

In 2013, Selena Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, which is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissues. This inflammatory disease could complicate pregnancy leading to preeclampsia, a condition then the blood pressure is high and there’s protein in urine of a pregnant person.

Gomez was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years back. In 2018, when Gomez was in her mid-20s, she said she started to hear voices that eventually triggered psychosis.

Doctors revealed that when trying to conceive, women with autoimmune disorders may encounter various difficulties because these ailments can impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes, either directly or indirectly.

“When the immune system unintentionally targets the body’s own tissues, the reproductive health can be negatively impacted,” Dr Kalyani Shrimali, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility, Indore, told IndiaToday.in.

Sometimes, the inflammation brought on by these conditions affects the reproductive organs, which makes it harder for women to maintain a healthy uterine environment for implantation or to ovulate regularly.

Dr Shrimali said that blood clotting problems brought on by autoimmune illnesses such as APS (antiphospholipid syndrome) might result in repeated miscarriages or make it difficult to carry a pregnancy to term.

Other health conditions that could negatively impact reproductive health are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Dr Nirmala M, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Whitefield, Bengaluru, said that there many other reasons for a complicated pregnancy.

“Pregnancy-specific conditions like mother’s age, lifestyle decisions, and pre-existing medical disorders can make pregnancy difficult. Chronically ill women such as those with diabetes, hypertension or thyroid disorders, run a higher risk of developing these illnesses in their offspring,” said Dr Nirmala.

Uncontrolled diabetes, for example, can cause birth abnormalities or high birth weight, which can make delivery more difficult.

Preeclampsia, a dangerous disorder that can damage the liver and kidneys and raise the chance of an early delivery, can be brought on by hypertension or high blood pressure during pregnancy, cautioned Dr Nirmala.

To guarantee a successful outcome, a team of healthcare specialists, must regularly supervise pregnant women with autoimmune diseases.

Dr Nirmala stated that maternal age increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth, and increases the chance of “chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome, especially in women over 35.”

“Developmental problems, low birth weight, and fetal growth restriction are just a few of the concerns that can result from lifestyle choices including smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating poorly,” she added.

In light of these medical challenges, Selena Gomez’s revelation highlights the importance of understanding the impact of autoimmune and chronic conditions on reproductive health, and how various factors affect pregnancy.