Gabrielle Union Opens Up About Multiple Miscarriages

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade have been married for three years. Naturally one of the most frequent questions they are asked about is if the couple wants children. Although Gabrielle had previously gone on record saying children weren’t for her, she softened her stance being stepmom to Wade’s sons and nephew.

Later this month Union is dropping her first book, We’re Going to Need More Wine. In an exclusive excerpt for People, the “Being Mary Jane” actress revealed her struggle with infertility, IVF treatments and the multiple miscarriages she’s suffered in the process.

“I have had eight or nine miscarriages,” Union, 44, writes in the book. “For three years, my body has been a prisoner of trying to get pregnant — I’ve either been about to go into an IVF cycle, in the middle of an IVF cycle, or coming out of an IVF cycle.”

Union went on to explain that she and Dwyane are still hopeful and “remain bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we’ve both dreamed of.”

She also talked about how hard it is to be in the spotlight while going through fertility issues, even admitting that at times it has been easier to deny wanting kids than deal with the questions.

“For so many women, and not just women in the spotlight, people feel very entitled to know, ‘Do you want kids?’” she says. “A lot of people, especially people that have fertility issues, just say ‘no’ because that’s a lot easier than being honest about whatever is actually going on. People mean so well, but they have no idea the harm or frustration it can cause.”

She also spoke on the physical toll IVF can have on the body.

“Once a month I look like I’m in my second trimester because I’m bloated,” she says. “It leads to the questions and it leads to the rumors and anytime I go into a doctor’s office I feel like I’m a member of SEAL Team Six undercover because I don’t want people to speculate.”