At a Glance
- Kaillie Humphries delayed motherhood to chase Olympic glory, winning four medals, including three golds.
- A Stage 4 endometriosis diagnosis forced her to rely on IVF, costing $15,000 per round.
- After four embryo transfers, she welcomed son Aulden in June 2024.
- Why it matters: Her journey highlights the physical and financial toll athletes face balancing elite competition and family planning.
Kaillie Humphries spent over a decade pushing a bobsled to Olympic glory. She never imagined her body would betray her when she finally tried to start a family.
The Price of Olympic Gold
Humphries, now 40, collected four Olympic medals-three gold-since debuting for Canada in 2010. She switched to Team USA and captured the first-ever monobob gold in 2022. Each victory came at the cost of delayed motherhood.
“I put off becoming a parent selfishly because I wanted to focus on my career,” she said. “Naively, that was not smart.”
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
A routine hip MRI in 2021 revealed an ovarian cyst. Surgery to remove it uncovered Stage 4 endometriosis. Doctors told her natural pregnancy was impossible; IVF was the only route.
“My body would fail me,” she wrote in a 2023 essay.
Funding Dreams With Medals
IVF carried a $15,000 price tag-half her annual national-team stipend. Humphries and husband Travis Armbruster, wed in 2019, needed cash.
Their plan: win prize money at the 2023 World Championships. She delivered, earning silver in monobob and bronze in two-woman.
| Event | Result | Prize Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Monobob | Silver | Helped pay for IVF round |
| Two-woman | Bronze | Covered medication costs |
Three Failures, Then Success
Between competitions she endured three consecutive embryo transfers. All failed.
“It was hard… my body respond every single time in sport and have it not respond going through the IVF process,” she said.
A fourth transfer with a new clinic worked. Aulden arrived in June 2024.
Back on the Ice
Less than 18 months later, Humphries is training for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
“Trying to get back in shape… is kicking my butt real hard,” she admitted, citing pregnancy’s toll on her system.
Still, she calls motherhood and Olympic pursuit “equally as hard for very different reasons.”
Key Takeaways
- Elite female athletes often postpone pregnancy, risking fertility issues.
- IVF expenses can dwarf athletic stipends, forcing athletes to compete for funding.
- Humphries’ story underscores the need for better financial and medical support for athlete-parents.
