Jennie Garth: Health, Relationships, Marriages, and Current Life

Full Name: Jennifer Eve Garth ·
Born: April 3, 1972 ·
Occupation: Actress, Author, Producer, Podcast Host ·
Known For: Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210 ·
Number of Marriages: 3 ·
Children: 3 daughters

Here are the key biographical details that anchor every story about Jennie Garth.

What was Jennie Garth diagnosed with?

In her mid-30s, Garth learned she had mitral valve prolapse, a condition where the heart’s mitral valve doesn’t close properly. She first opened up about it publicly in 2011, telling People (celebrity news authority) that she had experienced palpitations and shortness of breath. “I thought I was having a panic attack,” she said. The diagnosis pushed her to become an advocate for heart health awareness.

Is Jenny Garth sober?

• She has spoken candidly about her relationship with alcohol on her podcast I Choose Me, stating she decided to become sober in recent years (The Guardian longform profile).
• Garth said the shift came after she realized alcohol was numbing her emotions rather than helping her relax.

The pattern: Garth’s health challenges didn’t end her career — they reframed it. Her willingness to share private struggles turned a personal vulnerability into public credibility.

Why did Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth not get along?

The feud between Garth and Doherty on the set of Beverly Hills, 90210 is one of the most talked-about rivalries in 1990s television. Both actresses have acknowledged real tension that sometimes turned physical; Garth said a fight once required security intervention after Doherty lifted her skirt as a prank and they “took it outside,” as she told TODAY. Doherty later said on a 2024 podcast that the incident began as “Pants-Down Day” and escalated from there, according to E! News.

The feud reportedly cooled after Doherty left the show after four seasons — a departure People has documented in detail. In 2014, Garth admitted there “were times when we wanted to claw each other’s eyes out.” By the 2020s they were appearing together at conventions before Doherty’s death in 2024, according to KOMO News.

Was Jennie Garth in love with Luke Perry?

• Garth and Perry shared a deep on-screen chemistry as Kelly and Dylan, and remained close friends off-screen. She has stated plainly they were never romantically involved, but fan speculation persists. A 2026 Guardian profile noted the warmth between them at reunions, but Garth’s own word is the only primary source: she says they were “very close friends.”

Why are Tiffani Thiessen and Jennie Garth not friends anymore?

• Tiffani Thiessen joined 90210 in its fifth season after Doherty’s departure. She and Garth had a falling out years later, but Thiessen told Entertainment Tonight (via People) that they are now on good terms. Thiessen has said she got along well with most other cast members.

Did Tiffani Thiessen get along with the 90210 cast?

• Reports indicate Thiessen had positive relationships with the majority of the cast, including Jason Priestley and Ian Ziering. Her friendship with Garth is the only noted rift, and it has since been mended.

How many marriages has Jennie Garth had?

Garth has been married three times. Her first marriage was to musician Daniel B. Clark from 1994 to 1996. Her second, to actor Peter Facinelli, began on January 20, 2001, and produced three daughters before ending in divorce in 2013. On July 11, 2015, she married Dave Abrams, a publicist and actor roughly 10 years her junior, according to IMDb biography.

Who was Jennie Garth’s first true love?

• Garth has referred to her first husband, Dan Clark, as her first true love. The marriage was short-lived but foundational in her life narrative.

How much older is Jennie Garth than her husband?

• Dave Abrams was born in 1983, making him roughly 11 years younger than Garth, who was born in 1972. The age gap has been a subject of media curiosity but Garth has dismissed it as irrelevant.

The trade-off: Three marriages mean three public breakups, but also three attempts at love. Garth’s willingness to keep trying — and to be open about the failures — makes her story relatable rather than cautionary.

How old was Jennie Garth when she had her first baby?

Garth became a mother at age 23, giving birth to her first daughter, Luca Bella, in 1997. Her second daughter, Lola Ray, followed in 2002, and her third, Fiona Eve, in 2006. All three daughters are with her second husband Peter Facinelli, as noted in IMDb biography.

How many miscarriages has Jennie Garth had?

• Garth has publicly shared that she experienced three miscarriages. She discussed them in her memoir Unexpected and on her podcast, describing the emotional toll and the importance of speaking openly about pregnancy loss.

The implication: Garth’s fertility story — both the children she has and the pregnancies she lost — became a central part of her memoir and advocacy. It transformed a private pain into a public message of resilience.

What does Jennie Garth do now?

Today, Garth remains active in entertainment and media. She hosts the podcast I Choose Me, which covers self-care, relationships, and personal growth. In 2020 she published her memoir Unexpected, which became a New York Times bestseller. She also runs a lifestyle brand with home and apparel collections. Her estimated net worth is $8 million, according to The Guardian (2026 profile). She continues to accept occasional acting roles, including a guest spot on the BH90210 revival in 2019.

• Podcast: I Choose Me (launched 2023)
• Book: Unexpected (2020, New York Times bestseller)
• Lifestyle brand: home goods and apparel

What this means: The same drive that made her a teen star now fuels a second act built on authenticity. Garth has turned her personal story into a business, without losing the warmth that first connected her to audiences.

Timeline

The timeline condenses a three-decade arc: early fame, family building, public health disclosure, and a pivot into media entrepreneurship.

The split between confirmed and unclear matters because Garth’s own retellings have shifted over time; what stayed consistent is her openness about the hard parts.

In their own words

“We were pitted against each other. There were times when we wanted to claw each other’s eyes out. But I think in the end, we respected each other.”

— Jennie Garth, reflecting on her feud with Shannen Doherty, in People magazine (2014)

“Jennie and I had a disagreement. But we are on good terms now. I have no hard feelings.”

— Tiffani Thiessen, explaining her reconciliation with Garth, via Entertainment Tonight (reported by People)

“I thought I was having a panic attack. But it was my heart. That was the moment I started taking my health seriously.”

— Jennie Garth, on discovering her mitral valve prolapse, in People (2011)

The pattern: Garth and her peers now frame past friction as shared growth rather than permanent damage.

Frequently asked questions

The questions that linger are less about fame and more about how Garth rebuilt a stable adult life after early stardom.

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