Actress Gabrielle Union shares struggles with infertility

Actress Gabrielle Union has told of her heartbreaking struggles with infertility and failed IVF treatments in an attempt to have a baby.

The 44-year-old, who is married to NBA star Dwayne Wade, opened up about the couple's attempts to have a child together in her new book, We're Going To Need More Wine.  The Being Mary Jane star candidly opened up about the difficulties the couple had faced, as she revealed she has suffered "eight or nine" miscarriages. An excerpt of the memoir obtained by People reads:

"I have had eight or nine miscarriages. "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."

But she went on to reveal that after three years of failed IVF cycles and being bloated from the hormones, the couple are still "bursting with love and ready to do anything to meet the child we’ve both dreamed of.” The Bring It On actress and the basketball player first started dating in 2009 and walked down the aisle in August 2014, after a brief split in 2013. But it was after the couple tied the knot that Gabrielle says she first realised how much she wanted to be a mother - particularly due to how much joy she felt being a stepmom to three of the NBA star's sons. She told the publication:

“I never wanted kids. “Then I became a stepmom, and there was no place I’d rather be than with them.”

The actress also told of her struggles dealing with infertility while being in the public eye. She added:

“For so many women, and not just women in the spotlight, people feel very entitled to know, ‘Do you want kids?' “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. “Once a month I look like I’m in my second trimester because I’m bloated. “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.”

Gabrielle Union's book We're Going To Need More Wine is out on October 19.  Featured image via Getty.