Cheryl Goh is a familiar voice on Singapore’s airwaves and a seasoned presenter with Mediacorp. She is best known for hosting Mind Your Money, Eat Drink Singapore, and The Wellness Hour on CNA938, every weekday from 10am to 2pm. Cheryl also co-hosts Money Mind on CNA TV. With a career that spans both radio and television, she has built a reputation for clarity, warmth, and credibility. In 2018, she was awarded the Best Singapore News Story at the CNA TV News Awards.
Beyond her professional achievements, Cheryl has become a courageous advocate for women’s health and fertility. After experiencing a miscarriage in 2019, she began sharing her deeply personal journey with infertility, IVF, and pregnancy. Her openness has helped shed light on an often-silent struggle faced by many.
In this exclusive interview, Cheryl speaks candidly about the emotional and physical challenges of her journey, how she balances broadcasting with personal trials, and the strength she’s discovered along the way.
Interview with Cheryl Goh:
1. Cheryl, your journey to motherhood has been both inspiring and challenging. What inspired you to open up about your fertility struggles?
Cheryl Goh: When I first found out that I had fertility issues while trying to conceive, I was in a bit of disbelief. I struggled with questions of self-doubt and ‘why me’ thoughts. I’ve always been sporty, healthy and strong, and yet here I was, having issues conceiving. Besides my husband, I didn’t know who to talk to about this. In a moment of vulnerability during my first ‘two week wait’, I decided to share on Instagram, also as an outlet to express my innermost feelings. I didn’t expect the response I got – so many women reaching out to share about their own struggles with pregnancy loss and infertility. It made me realise it’s more common than we think, and yet not talked about enough. I decided then that if me sharing my personal struggles could, in any small way, help normalise conversations about infertility, then it’s something I would continue to do.
2. After experiencing a miscarriage in 2019 and going through multiple IVF treatments, how did you find the emotional and physical strength to keep going through those years?
Cheryl Goh: It wasn’t easy for sure. Each anxiety-filled two week wait and failed IVF transfer was filled with all kinds of emotions – hope, grief, frustration, anger, sadness. But throughout it all, I always told myself that ‘infertility doesn’t define me’. It’s a part of who I am, but it’s not my whole self. I tried not to let the infertility struggles consume me and focus on the other facets of who I am – a wife, furmama, daughter, aunt, friend, journalist and so on. I also channelled my energy into what I enjoyed doing, like yoga, and even got certified as a yoga instructor. Of course, the unwavering love and support from my husband through it all also helped me to get through it all.
3. The decision to remove both of your fallopian tubes in 2024 was no doubt a significant moment in your journey. How did you navigate the physical and emotional challenges of that experience?
Cheryl Goh: This surgery was my third fertility related one in five years, and the hardest of them all. It led to complications with my intestines, resulting in two hospital stays (11 days) across three weeks, including one night in the high-dependency ward. When I was readmitted the second time, I couldn’t eat and was put on drip for 7 days due to paralytic ileus. Having a tube shoved down my nose and into my stomach while fully conscious is a trauma that will stay with me for life. I can say this period was one of the lowest in my life.
Again, it was my husband and loved ones – parents, close friends and colleagues who constantly checked in and showed their love and support that helped me through the darkest of days. At that point, I asked myself if this was all worth it. I really didn’t feel it at the time, but now that I’m expecting, and I can say that yes, it was.
4. Throughout this period, you’ve continued to host shows at CNA938. How did you manage to maintain your professional responsibilities while facing such deeply personal struggles behind the scenes?
Cheryl Goh: I go back to the line – ‘infertility doesn’t define me’ – and I always remind myself that I’m so much more than this struggle. I’m fortunate to have a job that I truly love as a presenter and producer on CNA938, so coming to work each day is something I truly relish. I’m also thankful that my bosses and team have been very understanding and supportive when I had to take extended hospital leave to recover from my surgeries and IVF procedures, or when I need to take time off for doctor’s appointments. This has given me the peace of mind to go and do what I need to go for my fertility.
5. As a strong advocate for women’s health, how has your own experience with miscarriage and IVF shaped the conversations you have on air, particularly about wellness and reproductive health?
Cheryl Goh: I do not shy away from having such difficult conversations on air, and have spoken with groups like Fertility Support Singapore to try and raise awareness about such issues. Where appropriate, I will share a little bit of my personal experience – my goal is simple – to let women (and their partners) know that they are not alone in this.
I’ve also had women I don’t know reach out to me on social media to share their experiences and just to vent, so I hope that in my own small way, I’m helping to make this difficult subject a little less overwhelming.
6. Given everything you’ve been through, what advice or support would you offer to women who are currently navigating similar fertility challenges or struggling with their own journey?
Cheryl Goh: I’m very cautious about giving advice, because every woman/couple’s fertility journey is different. What worked for us may not work for you and vice versa. I will share the following:
- Find a doctor that you are comfortable with and who treats you with dignity – this is very important as it makes the difficult fertility/IVF process a little more bearable
- Filter out unwanted comments and advice from seemingly well-meaning individuals, even if it means having to keep your distance from them for a while – you know yourself best and can make the best decisions for yourself
- Set a timeline for yourself so you have an end in sight, regardless of the outcome. (For me, I told my husband that my second egg retrieval would be my last, and regardless of whether the subsequent embryo transfers worked or not, I would stop trying after and perhaps look at other options like adoption. This gave me a clearer vision of when this struggle would end.)
- Grieve when you need to, but don’t stay sad for too long. You still have the rest of your life ahead of you.
7. As you prepare to become a mother, how have your past experiences influenced your perspective on pregnancy and shaped the expectations you have for yourself as a mother?
Cheryl Goh: In a strange way, I feel like even though the years of trying and failure have been extremely difficult, it’s a process that my husband and I had to go through on our path to parenthood. If anything, it has made us stronger as a couple, and perhaps a little bit wiser as parents-to-be.
I often ask myself, if I became a mother when I first started TTC at the age of 34 – would I have been ready? Going through the past six years of fertility struggles has shaped me as a person, allowing me to achieve other things at work and in my personal life that I wouldn’t have, if I had already been a mother at that time. Now at 40, and after having gone through all that I have, I feel I’m in a much better mental and emotional headspace to welcome this precious child into my life.
8. Congratulations on expecting your first child! Given the challenges you’ve faced, what has been the most meaningful or fulfilling part of this pregnancy so far?
Cheryl Goh: Thank you! I’ve gone from being cautiously optimistic in the first trimester to now embracing all the fascinating changes in my body as my bump grows bigger each day (Week 24 as of 25 April). I’m trying to enjoy every moment, lapping up every pregnancy privilege, and cherishing every time my little girl moves in my belly. It’s really a special experience. My husband and I are still anxious as first time parents-to-be, but we’re taking it day by day.
Cheryl Goh’s journey is one of perseverance, honesty, and hope. By choosing to speak publicly about her challenges with fertility and IVF, she not only found strength in vulnerability but also created space for others to share their experiences. As she enters a new chapter of life and motherhood, Cheryl continues to inspire listeners and readers alike with her grounded perspective and unwavering voice.
All images credit to Cheryl Goh and Mediacorp
