Jennie Garth Says ‘Really Hard’ IVF Treatments Led to Her and Husband Dave Abrams’ 2018 Breakup

Jennie Garth is opening up about how a stressful in vitro fertilization process led to her 10-month separation from husband Dave Abrams. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star, 52, revealed in a new interview with SELF that going through IVF was “really, really” hard on their marriage, and that they had to work to find their way back to one another less than a year after splitting. 

Abrams filed for divorce from Garth in 2018 before their 2019 reconciliation. The actress said that at the time of their breakup, “[We] were trying to have a baby, and it kept failing. And that was really, really hard on both of us individually and on our relationship.”

After several unsuccessful rounds, however, Garth said she and Abrams let go of the possibility of having kids together, which “freed us up to love each other in a different way.” Abrams, who married Garth in 2015 after eight months of dating, is stepfather to the What I Like About You star’s three daughters – Luca, 27, Lola, 21, and Fiona, 17 – whom she welcomed with ex-husband Peter Facinelli before their 2012 split.

 “Dave is just an incredibly supportive, loving person,” Garth gushed of her husband, noting that their relationship has flourished since the pressure to have kids has been removed. “He’s just always thinking of how he can make me happy and make the day go better. I’m so grateful for the generosity of his spirit and his love.”

Throughout it all, Garth said she’s learned to be kind to herself. “You come to this place where you’re like, I don’t want to waste this precious time on earth worrying what other people think of me,” she explained. “And I have to tell you: It really is the best time of my life.”

Garth has recently been dealing with health issues as well, including an osteoarthritis diagnosis, two hip replacements and menopause. In August, she wrote on Instagram, “i’m going to be real honest with you …i’ve been struggling with working out recently.” Garth continued, “my travel and work schedule, my body pain , not to mention menopause is a daily minefield, both physically [and] mentally,” adding that “recently it just feels like my body is fighting against me at times.” She reminded herself, “i forget that there’s so much happening inside me, causing so many changes, that of course i’m not always gonna feel or be able to perform how i’d like to (or expect to).”