"I couldn't hide it" — Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star Sammi opens up about her IVF journey

The second part of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation season 7 released its latest episode on Thursday, September 19, 2024. It showcased the cast members making decisions that could drastically alter their lives. Despite facing everyday challenges, they looked forward to starting something new.

One such moment was when Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola revealed she was undergoing the IVF process, hoping to start a family with partner, Justin May. She detailed the procedure in the episode and explained its side effects.

In an interview with Life & Style, published on September 18, 2024, the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast member revealed why she decided to share her journey on-screen.

"I couldn't hide it. It was like, I just came back to the show, but I'm going through this and it was like, I don't wanna leave the show again and step back from it when I just came back," Sammi confessed.

Sammi added that she wanted to tell her story, hoping to inspire people struggling with similar issues. In the episode, the cast member also opened up about her endometriosis diagnosis and how it affected her pregnancy.

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Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star Sammi reveals she wanted to help others undergoing the IVF process

While talking to Life & Style, 37-year-old Sammi confessed she filmed her IVF journey without knowing if she would want to air it. Although uncertain, she ultimately agreed to let the outside world be an audience to her life because she felt she could help other women by doing so.

She explained that the pain from the experience became bearable when shared. As a result, she wanted to tell the story of her life.

"But I've learned through this whole process that by talking about it more, it makes it a little bit more easier to go through," Sammi stated.

The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast member hoped it would "help other people relate." She decided to do it because she herself "learned a lot" about IVF from her fans and well-wishers on social media. So, now she felt it was her time to return the favor and help others through her story.

Sammi mentioned that a significant number of people experienced similar issues but chose to remain private about their struggles with fertility. However, having returned to the show after a long break, Sammi did not want to keep it hidden from her fans and followers. She thanked her fiance, Justin, for being her "backbone" and supporting her through the process.

In Jersey Shore: Family Vacation episode 19 Sammi confessed she did not want to delay her pregnancy while her marriage with Justin was still being discussed. On top of that, she was diagnosed with endometriosis which could complicate her fertility, reducing her chances of getting pregnant. Consequently, she did not want to wait longer and increase the risk.

"My biggest fear is not being able to get pregnant one day," Sammi confessed.

Despite letting it get filmed, she kept it hidden from the other cast members since she did not want to raise their expectations without any positive confirmations. In another interview with the New York Post, published on September 14, 2024, Sammi said:

"I wanted to keep it a secret because at first I was like 'Listen, I don't know if the outcome is what I want it to be...I will be devastated if it doesn't work.'"

The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star also revealed that her ex-partner, Ronnie Ortiz-Margo, was not around when she underwent the treatments.

Sammi further discussed that the hormone shots she took as part of her treatment came with side effects like hot flashes, mood swings, and even depression. Nonetheless, she seemed excited to start the new chapter of her life with groom-to-be Justin.

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Jersey Shore: Family Vacation season 7 will return with a new episode on September 26, 2024, at 8 pm ET, only on MTV.