Olivia Munn IVF Journey and Family Decisions
Hollywood actress Olivia Munn has shared a deeply personal update about her fertility journey, revealing that she and husband John Mulaney are still deciding whether to use their remaining frozen embryo to grow their family.
The couple, who welcomed daughter Méi via surrogate in 2024, also have a three-year-old son, Malcolm. Speaking candidly about parenthood, Munn admitted that while they are grateful for their growing family, they haven’t yet decided whether two children is enough.
“We’re still talking if we are done growing our family,” she said.
A Remaining Frozen Embryo Keeps the Door Open
Munn revealed that she and Mulaney still have one viable frozen female embryo remaining from the IVF treatment she underwent following her breast cancer diagnosis.
For many people facing cancer, fertility preservation can become an unexpected but vital part of treatment planning. Egg freezing, embryo freezing and sperm freezing can offer hope of building a family once cancer treatment has finished.
For Munn, that opportunity came during an incredibly difficult period.
IVF Before Life-Saving Cancer Treatment
After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, Munn underwent multiple surgeries, including a double mastectomy.
Before further surgery would send her into surgical menopause, her medical team identified a small window in which she could undergo IVF and an egg retrieval procedure.
The decision wasn’t straightforward.
Because some breast cancers are hormone-sensitive, the hormone stimulation used during IVF can understandably feel daunting. However, specialists can often adapt treatment protocols to minimise risk while preserving fertility.
Munn underwent a specialist IVF protocol designed for cancer patients before her hysterectomy and removal of her ovaries.
In this heartfelt interview, Olivia Munn shares her experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer and the emotional decision to undergo fertility preservation before treatment. She opens up about protecting her future fertility through egg retrieval, navigating IVF during cancer treatment, and the hope that helped her build her family.
The Emotional Reality of Fertility Preservation
Munn has previously spoken about how emotionally challenging the process was.
After her eggs were collected and fertilised, only two embryos developed well enough to undergo further testing.
Those two healthy embryos became a symbol of hope during one of the hardest periods of her life.
Today, one of those embryos became daughter Méi. The second remains frozen while the couple continue to consider whether they would like another child.
For many families, deciding what to do with remaining frozen embryos can be an emotional decision. Some choose to try for another baby, while others decide their family is complete. There is no right or wrong answer—only what feels right for each individual family.
Choosing Surrogacy After Cancer
Because Munn underwent surgery that meant she could no longer carry a pregnancy, the couple chose gestational surrogacy.
She has spoken warmly about the woman who carried Méi, describing how important it was to find someone she trusted completely.
Like many intended parents, Munn also experienced understandable worries about whether she would immediately bond with her baby.
Those fears disappeared once Méi arrived.
She has since shared how quickly their connection developed, describing the overwhelming joy of finally meeting the daughter they had hoped for throughout such a difficult journey.
Fertility After Cancer: What Patients Should Know
Munn’s story highlights an important conversation that many people don’t realise happens following a cancer diagnosis.
Depending on the type of cancer and planned treatment, patients may be offered fertility preservation before chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery begins.
Options may include:
- Egg freezing
- Embryo freezing
- Sperm freezing
- Ovarian tissue freezing (in selected cases)
While not every patient has time before treatment begins, discussing fertility as early as possible with both your oncology and fertility teams can help maximise available options.
Every Fertility Journey Is Different
Whether you’re undergoing IVF following cancer, considering surrogacy, exploring fertility preservation or deciding what to do with frozen embryos, every journey is unique.
Olivia Munn’s openness puts a spotlight on the conversations that many families quietly navigate—from balancing cancer treatment with future parenthood to making deeply personal decisions about embryos years later.
As she recently reflected, looking at her two children after everything she has experienced fills her with gratitude and pride.
Olivia’s story is a powerful reminder that while fertility journeys don’t always follow the path we expect, hope can still be found in many different forms.
Looking for fertility support?
If you’re navigating fertility treatment following cancer, or simply exploring your options, remember you don’t have to do it alone.
At IVFbabble, you’ll find trusted expert advice, real patient stories and support from a global community who understand the emotional highs and lows of trying to build a family.
You can also create your own free fertility hub on Babble Connect, where you can save trusted clinics, connect with experts, access fertility tools and become part of a supportive community—because no one should have to navigate fertility alone.
