Lupita Nyong’o Opens Up on Uterine Fibroids: A Decade-Long Health Battle and Advocacy for Women

Mian Hamid September 18, 2025

N E E D   T O   K N O W

  • Lupita Nyong’o revealed she had 30 fibroids removed in surgery back in 2014.

  • Doctors told her it was “only a matter of time” before they returned.

  • She admitted feeling “dismissed, confused, and alone” during her early diagnosis.

  • Launched the FWH × Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant to fund better treatments.

  • Partnered with lawmakers to push for fibroid research and women’s health legislation.

  • Urges women: “No more suffering in silence.”

Lupita Nyong’o’s Decade-Long Fight with Uterine Fibroids: From Pain to Purpose

Lupita Nyong’o Opens Up on Uterine Fibroids A Decade-Long Health Battle and Advocacy for Women

Lupita Nyong’o, Oscar-winner, beloved actress, and outspoken advocate, has recently lifted the curtain on a personal health battle many endure quietly: uterine fibroids. In honor of Fibroid Awareness Month, she shared a deeply emotional story of silence, surgery, and ultimately, advocacy—for herself and for millions of women who still don’t feel heard.

First Signs & Hidden Struggles

Nyong’o first learned of her fibroids in 2014—the same year she accepted her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave. Doctors found 30 fibroids and she underwent surgery to have them removed.

But even after the surgery came one of the hardest truths: when she asked her doctor if there was any way to stop them from returning, she was told, “You can’t. It’s only a matter of time until they grow again.”

“Dismissed, confused, alone”

Lupita Nyong’o Opens Up on Uterine Fibroids A Decade-Long Health Battle and Advocacy for Women

Nyong’o’s experience wasn’t only physical—it was emotional and isolating. In her Instagram post and interviews, she described how, for years, she felt like many women do: dismissed when she expressed her pain, confused by the lack of clear medical guidance, and isolated—because she didn’t see others speaking openly about the same struggle.

“We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us… No more suffering in silence!” she wrote, calling out how society teaches girls that pain is simply part of being a woman.

From Pain to Action: Surgery, Advocacy & Research

Nyong’o’s journey didn’t end with surgery—she’s turned it into activism. Key moves she’s made:

  • Surgery to remove 30 fibroids in 2014, yet aware of recurrence possibilities.

  • Created the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant with the Foundation for Women’s Health to support less invasive or non-invasive treatments.

  • Joined forces with lawmakers—Black women in Congress and Senators—to introduce bills aimed at increasing fibroid research funding, improving early detection, and expanding intervention options.

Wider Impact: Why Her Story Resonates

Uterine fibroids are extremely common yet too often ignored:

  • They affect up to 80% of Black women by age 50, and nearly as many white women.

  • Symptoms can be debilitating: heavy bleeding, pain, anemia, and sometimes fertility or pregnancy complications. 

  • Despite their frequency, there’s still a major gap in public understanding, medical research, and compassionate care.

Nyong’o’s honesty gives visibility to these issues, moving them from silence into policy halls. She has repeatedly stressed that women deserve better—not just for themselves, but for future generations.

Personal Health & Well-Being: Beyond Surgery

Lupita Nyong’o Opens Up on Uterine Fibroids A Decade-Long Health Battle and Advocacy for Women

While Nyong’o hasn’t publicly shared exhaustive details about workouts, skincare regimens, or fitness routines specifically tied to her fibroid recovery, there are takeaways from her narrative relevant to anyone dealing with a similar health journey:

  • Recognizing when pain isn’t “normal,” and pressing for medical evaluation.

  • Finding ways to rebuild strength—both physical and emotional—after surgery.

  • Prioritizing mental health: the toll of being in pain, feeling invisible, or having concerns dismissed can be heavy.

  • Seeking treatments that balance effectiveness with invasiveness. Her push is for “minimally or non-invasive” options.

Takeaways from Lupita Nyong’o’s Journey

  • Lupita was first diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2014, the same year she won her Oscar.

  • Doctors removed 30 fibroids in surgery, but told her there's no certain way to prevent their return.

  • She described feeling “dismissed, confused, and alone” when dealing with her diagnosis.

  • Lupita started the FWH × Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant to support better treatment options.

  • She’s pushing policy change: backing bills to expand fibroid research, enhance early detection, and create less invasive treatments.

  • Lupita insists: pain should not be normalized. She wants periods, pain, and reproductive health to be part of the conversation—not dismissed as “part of being a woman.”

Why This Matters: For You, For All

Lupita Nyong’o’s story reminds us that health issues many women endure are often written off rather than addressed—and how important it is to demand better medical information, earlier screenings, and care rooted in respect and understanding. Whether you experience fibroids or know someone who does, her voice pushes for transformation in how women’s pain is recognized—and treated.

Lupita Nyong’o didn’t just share a struggle—she turned it into advocacy. Her journey with uterine fibroids is a powerful blend of vulnerability and insistence. We deserve more than silence. Nyong’o is helping shape a future where women’s health is researched, recognized, and never dismissed again.

(Based on Lupita Nyong’o’s Instagram posts, interviews with People, Entertainment Weekly, and her advocacy statements as of mid-2025.)

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