What happened to Marilyn Monroe’s pregnancies?

Much has been speculated about Hollywood’s most iconic figure, Marilyn Monroe, as her life continues to capture the public’s imagination long after her tragic death.

Among the lingering questions is a poignant one: Did Marilyn ever become a mother?

Despite the widespread fascination with her, many details about her life remain shrouded in ambiguity, including her legal name—Norma Jeane—which often gets overlooked.

The recent release of Netflix’s film Blonde, featuring Ana de Armas, has thrust Monroe back into the limelight, inviting renewed scrutiny of her life story.

This cinematic retelling, based on Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, navigates through her ascent to fame while exploring both the real and embellished narratives of her relationships with significant men in her life.

Following her untimely passing, the world remains enamored by the enigma of her legacy, particularly regarding whether she was ever blessed with children.

While Blonde presents a dramatized portrayal of Marilyn’s experiences with pregnancy, it doesn’t cover the complete picture.

For those curious about Monroe’s personal life—specifically her desire for motherhood—there’s some important information to clarify.

Did Marilyn Monroe have children?

The answer is no.

Throughout her life, she was married three times; first to James Dougherty, then to baseball star Joe DiMaggio, and lastly to playwright Arthur Miller.

Yet, none of these unions resulted in children before her passing in 1962.

It’s important to note, however, that she held a deep yearning for a family and experienced multiple documented pregnancies.

The film depicts moments of loss, including miscarriages and an implied abortion, where she even speaks to the unborn child within her.

These scenes, while compelling, may not align with the reality of Monroe’s life, leaving audiences questioning the veracity behind her pregnancies.

Throughout her marriage to Arthur Miller from 1956 to 1961, Marilyn reportedly experienced three pregnancies, all of which tragically ended in miscarriage, as highlighted in Netflix’s The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes.

Her first known pregnancy occurred in September 1956, followed by an ectopic pregnancy in 1957, where the fertilized egg attached outside of her uterus.

The third miscarriage came in December 1958, during the production of Some Like It Hot, which affected her performance significantly.

During the production of this film, director Billy Wilder shared that Monroe wasn’t her usual self, indicating her struggles during this challenging time.

His reflections, captured in an audio recording, suggested that her issues were more about her internal battles, rather than the demands of filmmaking.

As for the story surrounding her abortion, Blonde hints that Monroe terminated a pregnancy during a romantic affair, but this claim lacks backing from credible sources.

Experts in Marilyn’s life, like author Michelle Vogel, acknowledge her fervent desire to be a mother, making the topic of abortion speculative at best.

Rumors about her reproductive choices often stem from assumptions rather than fact.

Interestingly, Marilyn Monroe is believed to have battled endometriosis, a painful gynecological condition that could explain her recurrent miscarriages and infertility struggles.

This often-overlooked issue might have deeply impacted her health, contributing to both physical and emotional pain.

Medical professionals have pointed out that due to the limited understanding of endometriosis during Monroe’s time, her condition went largely untreated, which likely exacerbated her challenges with pregnancy.

Authors suggest that her frequent reliance on alcohol and prescription pills could have been an effort to manage her pain and distress stemming from this condition.

At just 36 years old, Marilyn’s life ended with a tragic overdose, leaving behind a lasting legacy but no children.

The question of her potential motherhood remains an emotive topic, marred by the realities of her struggles with infertility and loss.

Blonde alternates between factual recounting and artistic interpretation, compelling viewers to discern where the truth lies.

It successfully conveys that Monroe did not have children, yet it ventures into narratives around her desire for motherhood and the pain of barrenness with varying degrees of authenticity.

The complexities of Marilyn Monroe’s life story illustrate how deeply intertwined her personal aspirations were with her public persona.

As the world continues to be fascinated by this Hollywood legend, her story reminds us that behind the glamour lay a woman grappling with dreams unfulfilled and profound emotional turmoil.

It is these truths—the pain of lost pregnancies and her desire for family—that resonate far beyond her appearances on the big screen.