Sara Pascoe: IVF Jokes Born from Personal Triumph

British comedian Sara Pascoe is renowned for her candid approach to personal topics, including her experiences with IVF. Now 44, she incorporates the emotional and financial rollercoaster of IVF into her comedy, using her own successful journey to encourage open dialogue about declining fertility and reproductive health awareness. Pascoe welcomed her sons in 2022 and 2023, both conceived via IVF.

In a recent interview, Pascoe discussed how her stand-up routines often feature her IVF treatment, a subject also detailed in her autobiography. She revealed a past abortion at 17, an event she felt compelled to share publicly despite her agent's advice against it.

Pascoe emphasized the demanding nature of IVF, noting the intense physical process of weekly injections. She expressed pride for anyone undergoing such treatment and shared her intention to normalize the conversation through her performances. She also disclosed that joking about infertility was only possible after having her children, as comedy requires an audience to perceive the performer as being in a stable emotional state.

Furthermore, Pascoe recounted her agent's initial recommendation not to include details of her 2026-03-22T14:19:59+00:00 abortion in her 2016 book, "Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body." Pascoe insisted on sharing this deeply personal aspect of her life, stating she was comfortable discussing her experiences openly. She explained her decision to terminate the pregnancy at 17 stemmed from not wanting to become a young parent, drawing from her mother's difficult experience supporting children at a young age.