Fans Speculate Kristen Doute's IG Photos of Fries and Pineapple Hint at IVF Transfer

The Valley star Kristen Doute has been transparent about her fertility journey. In Season 1 of the Bravo reality series, she openly discussed the challenges she faced regarding pregnancy, stating, "I can't just get knocked up any day of the week, and I feel like it might be really difficult." Nevertheless, the fashion designer and podcaster has expressed her strong desire to become a mom .

With the fertility clock ticking, Kristen and her fiancé Luke Broderick , who proposed at the beginning of September 2024, are actively trying to become parents. Despite experiencing a miscarriage in 2023, she remains determined to keep trying. At the end of September 2024, Kristen started sharing more updates on Instagram, leading fans to believe these might be hints that she has pursued fertility treatments. Here’s why some are suggesting she may have had a vitro fertilization (IVF) transfer.

Did Kristen Doute have an IVF transfer?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is known for significantly improving an individual's chances of conceiving, making it a practical choice for someone like Kristen, who has faced challenges on her journey.

Toward the end of September, she shared a casual photo of herself in the car on her Instagram Stories, with the text overlay reading, "Back home in LA traffic, another day, another fertility appointment." She even added a fingers-crossed emoji, per Bravo .

A few days after that post, another update left people speculating that she may have undergone an IVF transfer. On Sept. 26, 2024, Kristen shared a photo of McDonald's french fries with the caption, "We did the damn thing!" This was followed by another photo featuring chunks of pineapple mixed with pomegranate pieces, captioned, "McDonald's French fries + pineapple + pomegranate = ???"

For those who don't know, consuming McDonald's French fries, pineapple, and pomegranate after an IVF transfer is based on superstitions about what to do following the procedure.

Why do people who undergo an IVF transfer eat McDonald's French fries, pineapple, and pomegranate?

As an attempt to make an embryo transfer successful, myths exist that suggest you should eat McDonald's French fries, as it is "believed that the high salt content in the fries may help the body to absorb any excess fluids, potentially fending off ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)," according to Charles E. Miller, MD & Associates and CCRM Fertility 's website.

Another myth involves eating a ring of pineapple plus the core for five days, including the day the IVF transfer occurs. Folks believe the bromelain in the pineapple can potentially "break down scar tissue and decrease inflammation."

Pomegranates are filled with vitamins and antioxidants and are believed to "thicken the uterine lining," which some believe can be beneficial to the implantation process. However, there is no scientific research that backs any of these superstitions. Still, some on Reddit are firm believers in the myth: "I had two successful transfers after eating McDonald’s fries, my failed transfer I didn’t eat them. I blame it on not eating the fries."