I had an interesting experience last week, one that I've been thinking about a lot over the past few days. I was flipping through a copy of People Magazine while I got a haircut, and came across an article by Alexis Stewart (daughter of Martha Stewart). In the article Alexis, who is 41 years old and single, talks with stark honesty about her current struggles to have a child. Below is an excerpt from her story:

Since December, I've been going to the New York Fertility Institute in Manhattan. The drugs cost $6,000, the doctors and in vitro fertilization procedures about $20,000 to $27,000 -- a month.

They give me, like, eight times as many drugs than the other place did to stimulate egg production, then check me every two to four days.

I take two shots a day...Once a month, I inject myself with a drug that causes me to ovulate in 36 hours. Just before the 36 hours are up, I go to the doctor's office and they put me under anesthesia and use an 18-inch needle to remove about 10 eggs. Then, I go home to my apartment in Tribeca, change and get ready for my Sirius Radio Show, Whatever, that I co-host at 5 p.m.

The doctor, meanwhile, fertilizes the eggs right away, using a technique called ICSI [intra cytoplasmic sperm injection], which involves poking a hole in each egg and shoving a sperm in to create an embryo.

I'm using an anonymous donor, but not from a 'genius' bank. Those are creepy.

After the doctor conducts an embryo biopsy for Down Syndrome and the myriad of other things you might find around the three-month pregnancy mark, he says, "Eight out of 10 are not healthy" or whatever. Then, he tries to [transfer] the healthy embryos. I've had two transfers; they haven't stuck.

Last month after my egg retrieval, the clinic left a phone message saying I should call. They were going to tell me how many embryos were healthy...When it may be just another emotional blow, I sometimes don't need to know right away; knowing won't change it. If there are not healthies, I try to let it go immediately, because you can go crazy. Crazy.

But I'm not even close to stopping. I'm trying to build up a supply of healthy embryos because ideally, I'd love to have two kids.

I tell people who are 40, or ever 35, if you have the money, freeze your eggs, or better yet, embryos. If you don't have a husband, get an anonymous donor. That way, if you never find Mr. Perfect, you have options. [MORE] [ed.- Emphesis, mine]