Lupita Nyong’o Wants to Talk About Uterine Fibroids, Here’s Why We Should Listen

Actress Lupita Nyong’o is using her platform to raise awareness around a crucial women’s reproductive health issue. She hopes that by speaking out about her personal experience, she can make others understand that talking about uterine fibroids is a conversation we can’t avoid.

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In a Feb. 25 interview with The TODAY Show, the actress explained that she has been living with fibroids for over a decade, discovering them for the first time in 2014. Nyong’o told the TODAY hosts that after undergoing surgery to have them removed from her uterus, her fibroids returned a couple of years ago. This time, the number nearly doubled, with the largest one appearing as the size of an orange.

“The first time I got the fibroids taken out, they took out 23,” she said in the interview. “And this time, I’ve been informed two years ago that I have over 50.”

As the Mayo Clinic explains, fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. They can vary in number and size, with some appearing as large as a grapefruit. The symptoms, which can be extremely debilitating, can include heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain and issues with urination. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 26 million women in the United States between the ages of 15 and 50 have fibroids.

Now, with only two options – undergo surgery to have them removed, or live with the pain and uncomfortable symptoms – Nyong’o told the TODAY hosts she’s taking her time to figure out which option is best. In the meantime, she’s partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to raise awareness and money for research around the issue.

“Black women have an earlier onset of fibroids, they experience more severe symptoms, and they are seven times more likely to have surgical interventions,” she said.

Nyong’o says she was intentional about announcing her support of the campaign as Black History Month ends and Women’s History Month begins because fibroids have taken an especially painful toll on Black women.

“I’m excited now because speaking up has really empowered me. I’ve found community. I’ve locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for a long time,” she said. “That’s how we actually make this issue unavoidable so that we are no longer neglecting it and we’re dealing with it head-on.”