The Tragic Reason Monica Lewinsky's Bill Clinton Affair Prevented Her From Having Kids

In the late '90s, America was consumed by the affair between President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewsinsky. This led to constant headlines, late night jokes, and a 1998 impeachment of the President for lying under oath and obstruction of justice. The scandal created a life of chaos for Lewinsky, who went from anonymity to being one of the world's most famous people. The after effect of such nearly unbearable attention was so damaging that it played a part in Lewinsky, now in her 50s, never having children. As she told The Times in January 2026, "Mother's Day is really hard for me."

In a candid interview, Lewinsky recalled how challenging the years following the scandal were. Part of that challenge was creating a family. After graduating from college, Lewinsky couldn't get a job because of her infamous reputation. "I had no purpose," she revealed, and lack of employment made the purpose she wanted impossible to achieve.

Still, she froze her "eggs and embryos" in case the day arrived when she'd be able to start a family. "I often said if I won the lottery, I would have done it. Because I would have had the resources to have all the help that I needed. But for me, I didn't think I would be a very good single parent — and for so long I couldn't earn an income."

Because Monica Lewinsky was without a partner and didn't have a job, she had to give up on her dream of kids, a choice she said she regrets even though she knows it was the right call. Finding a love life has been difficult as well, and Lewinsky never married. This ended up being a freeing experience at her age, because "I now don't need to assess a potential partner as what kind of a father he would be to our child."

Don't feel sorry for Lewinsky though. She isn't down, like she was in the late '90s, when she told The Times she considered ending her life. In fact, Lewinsky explained to the outlet, "My fifties have been fantastic, and I wasn't expecting that." She found her way by becoming an activist who speaks out against bullying. Lewinsky also accepted her past as the co-producer of "American Crime Story: Impeachment" because, as she told Vanity Fair, "nobody should tell your story but you."

This led to Lewinsky serving as an executive producer on "15 Minutes of Shame", an HBO documentary, before Alt Ending, her production company, signed a contract for a first-look TV deal with 20th Television. Lewinsky started her own podcast, "Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky", in early 2025, where she and her guests talk about parts of their past they've taken back. Lewinsky told Rolling Stone, "For this podcast to be all it can be, I have to be more open." Part of that vulnerability is speaking out about the pain of not becoming a mother. Thankfully, she's found purpose in helping others.