We love seeing celebrities and public figures open up about their fertility journeys, especially around egg donation and DEIVF. We believe that transparency helps everyone navigate their unique paths to parenthood, and reminds others considering egg donation that they are not alone. Thank you to Brittany Daniel, Adam Touni and Cynthia Daniel for speaking publicly on this topic! We couldn’t be happier for you.
Brittany and Cynthia Daniel have always been close – the identical twins grew up together and rose to fame starring in the popular show Sweet Valley High. Now, the sisters have gone through a new journey together, as Brittany welcomed a baby girl thanks to her sister’s donated eggs.
Brittany Daniel’s life changed forever in 2011, when she was diagnosed with stage IV non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In an interview with People, she shares that she came out the other side with a changed perspective. “I remember thinking that I had a new lease on life,” she says. “I was ready to find a partner and have a child.”
However, the six months of chemotherapy that she endured had a lasting impact on her fertility. Her fertility specialist informed her that the chemo had left her with a diminished ovarian reserve, making a natural pregnancy impossible. She then brought up egg donation with her identical twin, Cynthia.
According to Brittany, Cynthia “didn’t hesitate.” In Cynthia’s words, “I saw it as such a simple gift I could give to her. I know Brittany would do it in a split second for me. And we’ve always shared everything, so why not this?”
Brittany and her husband Adam Touni went through three rounds of IVF using Cynthia’s eggs which were ultimately unsuccessful. Brittany shares that she was devastated by the news, saying, “I fought so hard to get there, and I was so scared it wasn’t going to happen.”
Ultimately, Brittany and Adam pursued surrogacy using the donated eggs, and finally g
ot the happy news – they were pregnant! Welcoming her daughter this year was an emotional moment for everyone involved, Brittany says. “The entire room was bawling because they just all knew what we had been through.”
After such a difficult journey, Brittany says motherhood is beautiful. “It’s better than I ever thought it could be. My sister made my dreams come true.”
We are so happy for Brittany and Adam, and we are grateful that they are speaking up and shedding light on their egg donation journey. Many people face unique paths to parenthood and obstacles along the way, and we couldn’t be happier to see Brittany and Adam reach the “other side.” We are so glad they were able to welcome their first child through donor egg IVF, and we’re wishing the best for their family.
