Jennifer Aniston has opened up about her decision not to pursue adoption, despite spending years trying for biological children.

On the early access episode of “The Armchair Expert” podcast, the 56-year-old actress spoke about her struggles with infertility.

“When people say, ‘But you can adopt’, I don’t want to adopt,” Aniston told host Dax Shepard. “I want my own DNA in a little person. That’s the only way, selfish or not, whatever that is—that’s what I’ve wanted.”

Jennifer Aniston attends the Apple TV+ premiere of “The Morning Show” Season 4 at The Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in New York. | Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

The “Friends” star has undergone multiple rounds of IVF and spent years trying to conceive. In a 2022 interview with “Allure” magazine, Aniston shared that she had done “everything” she could to get pregnant.

“All the years and years and years of speculation… It was really hard,” she said. “I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it.”

Subsequently, Aniston told Sax she has made “peace” with not becoming a mother. “I will say there’s a point where it’s, like, out of my control,” she added. “There’s literally nothing I can do about it.”

Aniston’s battle with infertility has consistently made headlines throughout her career.

Cheri Bergeron, founder of Mission: Motherhood, a forum to help women achieve motherhood on their own terms, told Newsweek that Aniston made the best decision for her.

“So many people have questioned Jennifer’s choices and wondered why she never had children [but] the truth is, motherhood is a unique journey for every woman,” Bergeron said.

“Jennifer knew her non-negotiables—[such as wanting] to have her own genetically connected children—[but] when that didn’t happen, due to circumstance, biology, or a combination of both, she decided motherhood wasn’t in the cards for her. And that’s perfectly fine.”

On the r/popculturechat channel, Reddit users have weighed in, expressing their frustration that Aniston is still being asked about fertility.

“This is a 56 year old woman. Stop asking her questions regarding her infertility already,” one user urged.

“I’m sad she struggled, but I don’t think that infertility should be what we think of when we see her. Infertility wasn’t her choice. If we don’t choose something, it shouldn’t be our defining feature,” another added.

“I’m 45 and infertile and get asked constantly. It’s infuriating,” said a third.

Aniston’s comment about wanting her “own DNA” in a child also sparked debate.

Some users, including several adoptees, shared that their own experiences challenged the assumption that adoption is inherently traumatic or defined by biological disconnection.

One user wrote that they had a “wonderful childhood” and that being adopted “wasn’t something that concerned me,” explaining that they often forgot about it entirely unless asked about family medical history.

Another commented that they “couldn’t imagine having been raised by anyone else” and “never had any interest in seeking out [their] biological family.”

Another Reddit user going through the adoption process in the UK shared how rigorous and emotionally demanding it can be. “It’s not an easy choice, it’s not, ‘I’m infertile and so I’ll adopt and have a kid within a week!’” they wrote.

“It’s really hard,” they continued. “Every aspect of mine and my fiancées life has been picked apart, privacy completely gone, strangers knowing my trauma lol, but necessary and worth it 100% but absolutely not for everybody.”