'We had embryos on ice': Heather Rae El Moussa about her natural pregnancy in the middle of IVF treatment
Tarek El Moussa and Heather Rae Young (Heather Rae El Moussa) are expecting their first child as a couple. Interestingly, when the couple received a wonderful surprise a few weeks ago, they were in the middle of in vitro fertilization procedures and had even booked a date to transfer an embryo next autumn.
On Wednesday, July 13, the pair revealed the news to People, saying it came as a "huge shock" because they were in the middle of IVF procedures. “We just weren’t expecting this. We had just gone through IVF. We had embryos on ice. We had a plan,” the 'Selling Sunset' actress revealed. “I think when you least expect it and there’s no stress in your life, the world just brought us what was meant to be. I’m so excited that it happened like this.” The couple, who are now filming their upcoming HGTV docu-series 'The Flipping El Moussas,' received the good news a few weeks ago and are expecting their child early next year.
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Heather Rae Young looked beautiful in new footage from a recent photoshoot showcasing her pregnancy, which she shared on her TikTok account on July 13. The video began with Heather in a stunning cream-colored satin gown while Tarek, dressed in a white button-up shirt and black trousers, gently placed his palm on her growing stomach. He went in for a passionate kiss on the lips, then proceeded on to kiss her neck, while Heather turned toward the camera and smiled.
"After months and months of trying, and after being a step mommy to Tarek's beautiful kids for the past 3 years, I get to be a mommy, myself," Heather captioned the video, which was accompanied by a sweet yet sorrowful melody. Tarek's daughter Taylor and son Brayden, whom he has with his ex-wife Christina Hall, joined him on the beach. They were wearing matching T-shirts marking the pregnancy news when they waved. Heather stood with one leg protruding as she rested her hands on her baby belly against the stunning sunset.
"I'm pregnant with the love of my life's baby — Baby El Moussa," she said in her post as she and Tarek fled from an approaching wave. "...i can't wait to meet you, hold you, and love you." She also stated that her kid will be due in early 2023, although she did not provide a precise date.
Having their own child wasn't always in the cards for the couple, who met in 2019 and married last year. Tarek already had children with Hall, and Heather felt happy as "a bonus mom." Heather described how, when they initially started dating three years ago, they had no intention of having children together. "But as your love grows more and more, and you fall deeper in love with someone, and you build this life together, I started picturing myself having a child with Tarek. I started thinking, I just wanted to create something with the man that I'm in love with."
Heather Rae Young's IVF journey with Tarek El Moussa
Heather and Tarek spoke to US Weekly in May 2022 about the 'Selling Sunset' star's IVF experience, including how the 'Flip or Flop' alum and his children assisted her with a heartwarming gesture. Heather expressed her gratitude for Tarek and her stepchildren's moral support, and she expressed her desire for the children to accompany her throughout the journey. Taylor and Brayden would sing with her, hold her hand, and stand in the restroom with her. She recalled her spouse comforting her on days when she “didn’t even wanna get out of bed” by saying, "It's not you. It's just hormones."
Heather considers herself "lucky" to have had "moral support" from Tarek, Taylor, and Brayden, whom she affectionately refers to as "my kids." The couple has been open about their back-and-forth decisions about having a third child. The realtor, who disclosed to the online publication that she had "low fertility," expressed her desire to freeze embryos in November 2021, one month after she and the Tarek got married. She claimed to have recovered seven eggs from her egg retrieval procedure in January. She went on to share her IVF experience on Instagram and disclosed in April that she was "pausing" the procedures for the time being.
Heather had previously shared "not ideal news" with followers, revealing that one of her five eggs did not appear to be "mature enough to extract or freeze." The Netflix actor said that her low egg count was "not the best number," and she wanted to consult with her doctor about whether it was worth harvesting them to produce embryos. Heather expressed her desire to avoid "doing another round" and expressed hope for good news when she spoke with her medical professional. Despite the news, she expressed her desire to "trying to stay positive."
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Due to Tarek's Lynch syndrome, the couple has four frozen embryos that are awaiting "further testing," Heather said in May. The genetic tendency, which scientists seek to avoid in the embryos, increases one's chances of developing various forms of cancer. The HGTV star has overcome both testicular and thyroid cancer.
Cut to July, and they're looking for a new place to live. "We are looking for a new house and if we don't find that house when the baby comes, we do have room for the baby at our current home,' Tarek explained. "But we definitely need to find a bigger house with a yard and some more space."