Late last year, Marissa Blackstock and her husband, Shelby, the son of Reba McEntire, shared that they were expecting a child. This came after three years of trying.
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The couple first attempted to expand their family naturally. When those efforts were not successful, they began in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments last year, a process common for those struggling with infertility.
The IVF procedure, according to Mayo Clinic, involves collecting mature eggs from the ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab. Once fertilized, the eggs become embryos, which are then placed in the uterus, a process that can take several weeks.
Unfortunately, Marissa revealed that the pregnancy had ended in miscarriage.
"Our little boy... he arrived the day after my dad passed, two pink lines on Thanksgiving morning — something I had never seen before in three long years of trying," she wrote. "Biologically, time may not be on our side, but I'm not ready to set this dream down. Not now, not ever."
Despite this tragedy, earlier this week, Marissa shared another update on their journey. We have the details below.
Marissa Blackstock Is "Hopeful"
On Instagram earlier this week, Marissa shared in a video that she is about to begin her second round of IVF treatment.
"I know my body can do it," she said. "Unfortunately, if this one doesn't stick, we only have one more embryo before we'd have to go through another egg retrieval."
The daughter-in-law of McEntire added that this time around she feels "excited" and "hopeful."
"The love, messages, prayers and support from friends and this community have been overwhelming in the best way," she shared. "I wish I could thank every single person personally. Just know we feel it, and we're so grateful. Infertility is hard, but we don't feel alone."
Throughout this difficult process, Marissa has said in previous posts that she is sharing her story to shine a light on infertility.
"It's a tougher and more common journey than many people realize," Blackstock said. "If you're in the midst of this too, remember you're not alone."
Who Is Marissa Blackstock?
Marissa is Shelby Blackstock's wife. Shelby is the only son of McEntire, who was born while she was married to music manager Narvel Blackstock. Marissa and Shelby married in 2022 after meeting on Tinder in 2014.
McEntire also helped raise Narvel's other children. They include Brandon, who died last year, Chassidy, and Shawna.
