Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o has shared a personal update about her ongoing battle with uterine fibroids, revealing that the non-cancerous growths have returned and multiplied.
In a recent interview on the Today show, the actress disclosed that she now has more than 50 fibroids, years after undergoing surgery to remove 23 of them in 2014.
The revelation marks a sobering chapter in what she describes as a long and complicated health journey.
Nyong’o explained that after her initial surgery over a decade ago, she hoped the procedure would offer lasting relief.
At the time, doctors removed 23 fibroids. But during a recent check-up, she learned that not only had they returned, but they had also increased significantly in number.
“The largest is about the size of an orange,” she shared, offering a stark visual of what she is currently living with.
The actress said she is now grappling with whether to undergo another surgery. While a myomectomy can remove fibroids, it is invasive and comes with recovery time, risks, and potential impact on reproductive health.
“I’m not ready to make that decision,” she admitted during the interview.
Beyond the physical toll, Nyong’o revealed the emotional weight she carried when she was first diagnosed. She said that at the time, she felt isolated and ashamed, questioning whether she had somehow caused the condition.
“I thought it was my fault,” she said.
It wasn’t until she began talking about it openly that she realised how common fibroids are — and how many women suffer quietly.
That realisation shifted something in her. What once felt like a private burden became a public conversation.
Nyong’o said the response to her openness has been overwhelming. Women from around the world have reached out to share their own experiences with fibroids, surgery and chronic pain.
Nyong’o is now advocating for increased research funding and the development of less invasive treatments. She emphasised that women deserve better options — not just repeated surgeries.
“There’s something deeply wrong when a condition this common is this poorly understood,” she said.
While she continues to monitor her condition, Nyong’o is using her platform to raise awareness about uterine fibroids and reproductive health.
She is encouraging women to pay attention to their bodies, seek medical advice when symptoms feel abnormal and talk openly about their experiences.