Former Miss USA Susie Castillo says that after 4 years and multiple miscarriages, she's ready to talk about struggling with infertility

• Susie Castillo, who was Miss USA in 2003, recently said she's struggling with infertility.
• She said she has diminished ovarian reserve.

Susie Castillo, who was crowned Miss USA in 2003, shared at the recent Pregnantish event in Los Angeles that she's struggling with infertility.

The event kicked off pregnantish's National Infertility Awareness Week 2022 "The Reality of Infertility" programming in April featuring reality stars and public personalities who struggle with this disease.

"I was somebody who has always been super healthy my entire life — green juice every morning, you name it, I was doing it. Here I am. I have diminished ovarian reserve," Castillo told Insider.

Diminished ovarian reserve, a condition in which the ovary loses reproductive potential, most commonly occurs as a result of normal aging, according to ColumbiaDoctors.

Castillo said that she and her husband hadn't shared much of their journey on social media but that they've gone through so much in trying to get pregnant that they are ready to support others and get support back.

The first diagnosis was endometriosis

Several years ago, Castillo was diagnosed with endometriosis, a usually painful condition that happens when tissue from the endometrium grows outside the uterus.

"I had to have microscopic surgery for my endometriosis. I did it because I was trying to get pregnant and couldn't. They told me I needed surgery to remove it," she said.

Castillo said she found out later that it was this surgery that caused her anti-mullerian hormone level to plummet. Having low levels of the hormone can translate to having fewer eggs and can make it harder to become pregnant.

Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh, an OB-GYN focused on endocrinology and infertility who hosts the online show "Egg Whisperer" and was at the Pregnantish event, said this surgery involves removing part of the ovaries.

Castillo said she didn't question the surgery recommended by her doctor, adding, "I was doing it because I thought it was getting help." But she said she wouldn't make the same decisions today.

The couple has been using fertility treatments to try to have a baby

"It's been a four-year journey for my husband," Castillo said, adding that after "three miscarriages and two fertility clinics, I'm still trying to find answers."

Castillo said they'd tried several failed noninvasive procedures, including the hormonal medication Clomid and intrauterine insemination.

She said doctors told her that even with in vitro fertilization, she'd have a 16% chance of conceiving.

The Pregnantish event, led by Andrea Syrtash, was meant to offer support and resources for women struggling with infertility.

"We should be taught about all of this at a way younger age," Castillo said at the event. Her sentiments were echoed by two former Miss USA winners, Tara Conner and Nia Sanchez, as well as Caroline Lunny, a former contestant, all of whom have experienced infertility.

Castillo hasn't spoken as much as the others about her journey. "It's such an emotional roller coaster that I didn't really know how to share it," she said.

On Tuesday, Castillo shared a photo from the event on Instagram, writing in the caption, "I'm now ready to share and be an advocate for myself and others so I'll be sharing more in the future."

Castillo said her advice for people who want to get pregnant is to get blood work done before trying to conceive and to see fertility specialists "even when you're in your 20s." She said she also wished she had done an egg retrieval earlier.