Fibroid Awareness Month: Lupita Nyong'o Shares Fibroid Battle Since 2014

Kenyan-born Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has opened up about her long-standing struggle with uterine fibroids, revealing she was diagnosed with the condition in March 2014, the same month she won an Academy Award.

Nyong'o is using her platform to raise awareness about this often-misunderstood and silently endured chronic condition, urging for better understanding, research, and treatment for women's health issues.

“In March 2014, I won an Academy Award. That same year, I discovered I had uterine fibroids. 30 fibroids. I had surgery to remove them,” she recounted.

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. These growths can vary significantly in size, ranging from as small as a pea to as large as a melon.

While some women experience no symptoms at all, others endure debilitating effects, including heavy menstrual bleeding, anemia, pelvic pain, frequent urination, and complications with pregnancy.

Statistics indicate that uterine fibroids are incredibly common, affecting approximately 8 out of 10 Black women and 7 out of 10 white women by the age of 50. Despite their widespread prevalence, Nyong'o noted, "we speak so little of them". 

Nyong'o recounted her journey, stating that she had 30 fibroids and underwent surgery to remove them. However, the prospect of recurrence remains a concern. When she asked her doctor if there was anything she could do to prevent them from growing back, she was told that they would grow again.

“I asked my doctor if I could do anything to prevent them from recurring. She said, "You can't. It's only a matter of time until they grow again”.

The actress shared that she initially began talking about her experience privately, only to realize that so many women are going through it.She observed that women are often struggling alone with something that affects most of them, leading to a call for "no more suffering in silence!".Nyong'o believes that society has been taught that periods mean pain, and that pain is simply part of being a woman, a perception she seeks to challenge.

“When we reach puberty, we're taught that periods mean pain, and that pain is simply part of being a woman. I started talking about my experience privately, and I realized so many women are going through this. We're struggling alone with something that affects most of us. No more suffering in silence!” Nyong’o added.

In her Instagram caption accompanying her story, Nyong'o expressed her motivation for speaking out: "This Fibroid Awareness Month and beyond, I hope my experience will resonate with anyone else who has ever felt dismissed, confused, or alone."

She further stated her hope to seek answers for the far too many women dealing with uterine fibroids, who she believes deserve better.

Nyong'o is advocating for a significant shift in how uterine fibroids are perceived and addressed.

"We need to stop treating this massive issue like a series of unfortunate coincidences. We must reject the normalization of female pain. I envision a future with early education for teenagers, robust prevention research, and less invasive treatments for uterine fibroids,” sheemphasized.

She also calls for a deeper study of women's health and a prioritization of this chronic condition that she believes has never been comprehensively examined.