Mahhi Vij, known for her warmth both on-screen and off, recently opened up about a deeply personal chapter of her life. In a candid conversation, she spoke about her journey to motherhood through IVF, the challenges she faced, and why she chose to be unapologetically honest about it.
Married to actor and host Jay Bhanushali since 2011, Mahhi had always dreamed of becoming a mother. That longing grew stronger as the years passed. She remembered how at the age of 32, when natural conception wasn’t happening, she decided to consult a doctor. Not one to let time slip by, Mahhi opted to freeze her eggs, preparing herself for the IVF route, determined to build her family one way or another.
Mahhi recalled the countless voices around her, advising her to stay silent about her IVF experience. People insisted she pretend that her pregnancy was natural. But she refused to hide. “If I am a celebrity who is very open about it, it’s not about me or my partner or if we can’t have children. It’s somehow not working so we have taken this route and it’s our child, it’s my thing and his thing, we made an embryo and it’s our baby,” she stated.
That honesty cost her emotionally, but it also empowered her. IVF wasn’t easy on her body. Mahhi described the relentless injections she endured, some self-administered in her thigh and stomach, and others so painful they made sleep difficult. She confessed, “The one on my bum would hurt so much that I couldn’t sleep on that side. But I wouldn’t cry. I used to think something good is happening.”
It wasn’t just the physical strain. The financial toll was equally heavy. She shared that the entire process came with a steep price tag, costing nearly ₹8 lakh. But for Mahhi, the investment was never in doubt. The idea of building a life with a little one by her side was too precious to let go.
After an initial IVF cycle was cancelled, Mahhi stepped back. She took a break from the exhausting procedures and emotional highs and lows for four years. When she turned 36, the longing returned stronger than ever. She knew she was ready and bravely resumed the IVF process. This time, it worked.
However, the pregnancy came with its own heartbreak. Mahhi revealed she was initially carrying twins, each in separate sacs. One of the embryos stopped growing. Doctors warned her to pray that nature would take its course gently, fearing complications. She vividly remembered the terrifying moment she spotted blood in the washroom. Overwhelmed with fear, she reached out to her doctor, who assured her not to panic. The doctor said, “Good this happened, the healthier one has survived now pray for that child.”
That survivor was Tara, the daughter who would one day become the centre of Mahhi and Jay’s world. Today, Tara is five, a bundle of joy and the embodiment of Mahhi’s resilience, patience, and hope.
Looking back, Mahhi carries no regrets. She stands firm in her decision to talk openly about her experience She believes stories like hers should be spoken about, so other women walking similar paths don’t feel alone.
