Lupita Nyong’o is known for her powerful performances on screen, but recently, she’s using her voice to shine a light on a deeply personal health issue: uterine fibroids. In a candid update on social media, the Oscar-winning actress revealed her diagnosis and opened up about the pain and challenges she’s faced behind the scenes.
The 42-year-old’s story has sparked important conversations around a condition that affects millions of women, but is often not discussed. Learn more about what uterine fibroids are, Nyong’o’s personal experience, and the other stars who have shared their own diagnoses, below.
What Are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus, often during a woman’s reproductive years. These tumors—also called myomas or leiomyomas—are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue and can vary in size, number, and location.
When Was Lupita Nyong’o Diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids?
Nyong’o was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in March 2014, the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave. She revealed the diagnosis publicly in July 2025, sharing that doctors found 30 fibroids at the time, which required surgical removal. For more than a decade, she kept her experience private, admitting that she had been “suffering in silence.”
“I started talking about my experience privately, and I realized so many women are going through this,” she wrote on Instagram. “We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us. No more suffering in silence!”
Are Uterine Fibroids Treatable?
Treatment for uterine fibroids depends on a number of factors, including a person’s symptoms, age, reproductive goals, and the size or location of the fibroids. Mild cases may be managed with medication, such as hormonal birth control to regulate bleeding or GnRH agonists to shrink fibroids. More invasive options include uterine artery embolization (UAE), which cuts off blood flow to the fibroids, and myomectomy, a surgical procedure to remove fibroids while preserving the uterus.
In severe or recurring cases, a hysterectomy—removal of the uterus—may be recommended. Newer treatments, such as MRI-guided focused ultrasound and radiofrequency ablation, offer less invasive alternatives with shorter recovery times.
Who Else Has Been Diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids?
Former First Lady Michelle Obama revealed in her memoir Becoming that she had undergone surgery to remove fibroids, while actress Gabrielle Union has spoken candidly about her multiple procedures and fertility struggles related to fibroids. Cynthia Bailey, a star on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, also shared her fibroid journey on national television.
According to Michigan Medicine, Black women are diagnosed with fibroids roughly three times more frequently than white women, tend to develop them earlier in life, and experience larger and more numerous growths that cause more severe symptoms.
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