Lupita Nyong’o reveals she has over 50 fibroids, calls for better treatment options for women
She is advocating for less invasive and non-invasive treatments, urging greater attention to women’s health research
Lupita Nyong’o has revealed that her fibroids have returned, with more than 50 growths now diagnosed, including one the size of an orange.
Appearing on the Today show on February 25, the 42-year-old actress discussed her ongoing experience with uterine fibroids, a condition in which noncancerous growths form on the uterus. The condition can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination, constipation and back and leg pain.
Nyong’o first discovered she had fibroids in 2014, the same year she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her debut film, 12 Years a Slave.
“The first time I got the fibroids taken out, they took out 23,” she said. “And this time, I’ve been informed two years ago that I have over 50.”
“And I’m being faced with the same options,” she added. “Surgery or live with the pain.”
The actress said she has not yet decided whether to undergo a myomectomy, a surgical procedure that removes fibroids while preserving the uterus.
“I’m not ready to make that decision,” she shared. “It’s quite invasive… and it’s a big threat to our reproductive organs.”
Explaining the scale of the condition, she said: “When you have fibroids, doctors usually use fruit to explain to you what size your fibroids are. So your fibroid could be the size of a grape. My biggest fibroid is the size of an orange.”
Nyong’o also spoke about the emotional toll of the diagnosis.
“I felt shame. What did I do to cause them? And I felt very alone and quite scared for my reproductive health,” she said.
She added that speaking publicly has helped her find support. “I’m excited right now because speaking up has really empowered me,” she said. “I’ve found community. I’ve locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for a long time.”
Nyong’o is now advocating for less invasive and non-invasive treatments, urging greater attention to women’s health research. “I think it’s high time we speak up to ensure that this is no longer trivialized and it’s no longer considered normal just because it’s common,” she said.
