Were Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt conceived through in vitro?
Us Magazine says they have a “well placed source” within the Brangelina circle who claims that the couple’s newborn twins were conceived via in vitro fertilization because they were impatient to get pregnant again.
Forget Mother Nature – Us Weekly reports in its new issue, on newsstands now, that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt turned to fertility treatments to quickly conceive twins Knox and Vivienne.
“They conceived through in vitro fertilization,” a well-placed source within their camp tells Us. “They both desperately wanted more babies soon.”
The chance of having fraternal twins at Angelina’s age (33) naturally is under 1 percent; with in vitro, the chances are 25 percent. Says Dr. Arthur Wisot of L.A.’s Reproductive Medical Group (who did not treat the couple), “We live in an era of reproductive freedom, so anybody can do anything they want within legal limits.”
The actress chose the procedure (which can cost around $12,000 a pop) so “she wouldn’t have to deal with the stress of trying to get pregnant,” the source tells Us. “She could just knock it out.”
Indeed, Jolie has spoken about her goal to do just that.
“If we’re going to have 10 kids, we’d like to raise them while we’re young,” she told Elle U.K. last year. Brad Pitt turns 45 on December 18.
A source adds: “They were too impatient.”
Knox and Vivienne – born in Nice, France on July 12 – join the couple’s adopted brood of Maddox, 6, Pax, 4, Zahara, 3, and biological daughter Shiloh, 2.
There has been a lot of speculation regarding how the babies were conceived because Jolie was very thin in the months leading up to her pregnancy. Statistically, if a mother is underweight, her chances of conceiving are reduced. Star Magazine reported way back in January that the couple had relied on in vitro, but, you know, it’s Star. In interviews, Jolie has made it sound like she and Pitt conceived the twins the old fashioned way. In her recent Entertainment Weekly interview, she gestures to her belly at one point and says, “I got myself in this state!” I suppose that could be interpreted a number of ways.
