RHONY Star Erika Hammond and Tech CEO Ankur Jain Open Up on Emotional Surrogacy Waiting Game and Difficult Embryo Results

Erika Hammond and her husband, Bilt Rewards founder Ankur Jain, are facing the raw realities of expanding their family as they anxiously await word from a prospective surrogate while dealing with disappointing embryo grading results. The couple revealed the emotional toll of their fertility journey during a candid date night featured on Bravo‘s The Real Housewives of New York City.

After finding a candidate they felt was the ideal match, the couple found themselves stuck in an agonizing holding pattern. The silence following what they hoped was a decisive conversation quickly triggered worries about compounding delays in their family-building timeline.

Inside the Surrogacy Match: The Waiting Game Begins

For Hammond, 35, the initial call with their prospective surrogate felt like an immediate victory. The former WWE talent entered the meeting ready to commit instantly, only to find the lack of an immediate answer emotionally draining.

Jain, 36, pointed out that his wife was completely on board from the moment the conversation started. However, the subsequent silence created unexpected tension.

“I’m in a weird space because I immediately said yes to them and I haven’t heard back, and I kinda thought we would hear back by now.”

In a solo confessional, Hammond acknowledged that after finally connecting with someone they liked, the entire process had turned into a difficult waiting game.

Erika Hammond in a scene from The Real Housewives of New York City.

Timeline Delays and Embryo Health Setbacks

The stakes of receiving a rejection go far beyond emotional disappointment. Hammond explained that a mismatched call resets a rigorous multi-week search schedule.

Each new match call typically pushes the timeline back by three weeks, triggering another month-long evaluation before implantation can even be considered months later. The thought of starting over left her feeling visibly drained.

Confronting Egg Quality and Embryo Grading

Compounding the anxiety over the surrogate’s response is difficult clinical feedback the pair received regarding their fertility tests. Hammond revealed that recent medical evaluations delivered concerning news about her reproductive markers.

Medical professionals informed her that her egg quality was suboptimal and the overall grading on their stored embryos was not ideal. This development heightened the pressure surrounding this specific surrogate selection.

“We’re gonna do everything we can to give it the best possible shot. If we need to, we can do another round of IVF.”

Jain, whom Hammond married in a high-profile ceremony in Egypt in 2024, stepped in to provide perspective and emotional reassurance. He emphasized that additional rounds of IVF remain on the table if needed to reach their family goals.

Ankur Jain and Erika Hammond attending a Bilt Rewards event in New York City.

Fact Check: Misconceptions Around Gestational Surrogacy

Many viewers assume that securing a gestational carrier is purely transactional and quick once financing is established. In reality, matching requires mutual consent between prospective parents and the carrier, creating significant emotional vulnerability on both sides.

The couple closed their discussion by breaking the emotional weight with humor. Jain joked about having the simpler biological role in the process, earning a playful reality check from Hammond regarding the unequal physical demands of fertility treatments.

Viewers can follow the ongoing journey as new episodes of The Real Housewives of New York City air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, streaming the following day on Peacock.

💬 Fertility treatments and surrogacy can turn into an unpredictable rollercoaster for couples navigating the system.

✨ Erika Hammond and Ankur Jain continue to share the unvarnished realities of family planning in the public eye.

👇 Have you experienced the stress of the surrogacy matching process firsthand? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.