The Sad Reason Shannen Doherty Never Had Children
Actor Shannen Doherty turned 50 on April 12, 2021. That's a milestone she can celebrate. She's appeared on iconic television shows "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed." She's been married to photographer Kurt Iswarienko since 2011. She battled and beat cancer once and is currently fighting her Stage 4 diagnosis with grace and positivity, according to Survivornet.com.
Doherty was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. By 2017, she was in remission from her breast cancer. At that point, she was 46 and had to really think about whether or not she wanted to have kids. The cancer treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery took a big toll on her body, Health reported, but also, her age was a factor as well.
Then, in 2020, life dealt Doherty another blow. Her cancer came back and it was Stage 4 and it was metastatic — it had spread beyond her breasts and lymph nodes. At the time, she told Elle that she felt like she had a lot more time left. Doherty is a fighter and she had no intention of throwing in the towel, giving up the fight, and letting cancer win.
However, Doherty had to make some decisions about whether or not she would (or could) have children.
Her cancer diagnosis changed her plans for having children
Shannen Doherty isn't shying away from the reality of having Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Far from it, she's confronting the way her body has changed, is continuing to change, and what her relationship to her body is. In a 2019 interview with Health, Doherty said: "The hormones I went on threw my body into menopause instantly."
Doherty cannot get out of the state of menopause because that would require estrogen. Taking estrogen could up her chances of cancer coming back or getting worse. Still, Doherty told Health (and has been open about it over the years) that she always wanted a child. She and her husband talked about adoption and egg donors. However, Doherty can't wrap her mind around the fear that she might only have five or 10 years to live.
"I certainly wouldn't want my 10-year-old burying a mother. I've always wanted a kid. But maybe I'm supposed to mother in a different way," she said.