Actress Lupita Nyong’o has disclosed that she is currently living with more than 50 uterine fibroids.
Speaking during a recent appearance on the Today show, the Oscar winner said her condition has worsened since she was first diagnosed in 2014 — the same year she won an Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave.
At the time, she underwent surgery to remove 23 fibroids.
“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.”
Nyong’o explained that she is now facing the same difficult options again — surgery or living with the pain.
“I’m being faced with the same options — surgery or live with the pain,” she said, adding that procedures like myomectomy are invasive and come with reproductive risks.
She admitted she is not ready to make that decision yet.
Describing the severity of her condition, she revealed that her largest fibroid is the size of an orange.
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that can cause heavy periods, pelvic pain and other complications. The condition is said to disproportionately affect Black women, often with more severe symptoms.
Nyong’o also spoke about the emotional toll the diagnosis initially took on her.
“I felt shame. What did I do to cause them? And I felt very alone and quite scared for my reproductive health,” she said.
Over time, she said she found strength in connecting with other women facing similar challenges.
Now, she is using her voice to advocate for more awareness and better treatment options.
“I think it’s high time we speak up to ensure that this is no longer trivialized,” she said.
