“I Didn’t Understand My Body”- Lupita Nyong’o Speaks On Struggles With Fibroids

Oscar-winning actress and author Lupita Nyong’o is turning her personal health battle into a mission for medical innovation. In a candid interview with TODAY.com, Nyong’o revealed that her struggle with uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths of muscle and tissue—has resurfaced over a decade after her first major surgery, prompting her to launch a new campaign for better treatment options.

A Silence Born of Misinformation

For years, Nyong’o believed her debilitating symptoms were simply the “price” of being a woman. Growing up with a conservative sex education, she was taught that monthly pain was inevitable.

“They taught me that once my period started, I should expect to be in pain every month,” she shared. “So, when I was experiencing heavy bleeding and clotting, it didn’t sound an alarm. I didn’t know what was going on, and I didn’t know to be worried.”

It wasn’t until her breakout year in 2014—the same year she won an Academy Award—that a persistent routine gynecological check-up led to an ultrasound. The results were staggering: physicians discovered 30 uterine fibroids.

The Cycle of Surgery

To end the chronic fatigue and pelvic pain, Nyong’o underwent a myomectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the growths while preserving the uterus. However, 12 years later, the relief has faded. Nyong’o revealed that the fibroids have returned with a vengeance, with more than 50 new growths currently causing her pain.

Faced with the same limited options she had a decade ago—either living in pain or undergoing another invasive surgery—Nyong’o decided to take action to change the landscape of women’s healthcare.

In partnership with the Foundation for Women’s Health, Nyong’o has launched a dedicated research grant. The goal is to fund the development of minimally and non-invasive treatments that don’t require patients to go “under the knife” repeatedly.

“It’s very empowering to play a role in solving your own problem,” Nyong’o stated, emphasizing that women deserve solutions that don’t involve a lifetime of repetitive surgeries.