Former Olympian Tara Lipinski has given an update on her ongoing battle with endometriosis, revealing that she has undergone another surgery for the condition.
"I had my third endo surgery," the 42-year-old gold medalist shared on her Instagram stories, along with a photo of herself in a hospital bed.
Lipinski explained that she was hospitalized due to a painful endometrioma that had developed in her ovary. Her doctor removed the endometrioma and cleaned up the remaining endometriosis. She hopes that without further fertility treatments, the endometriosis will not return.
According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside of it, often affecting the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the pelvic lining. This condition can lead to endometriomas, or "chocolate cysts," which are filled with menstrual blood.
Previously, Lipinski had undergone surgeries to remove endometrial tissue and to repair a septate uterus, a condition where a membrane divides the uterus and increases the risk of endometriosis. During her recent hospital stay, she also had her fallopian tubes removed.
"I have embryos frozen, so if I ever want to try to become pregnant again, I wouldn't need my tubes—straight to the uterus," she explained. "All my doctors recommended removing my tubes to significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. I'm glad they're out!"
After struggling with infertility and unsuccessful IVF treatments for five years, Lipinski and her husband Todd Kapostasy welcomed their daughter Georgie via surrogate in October. Georgie is now nine months old.
Currently, Lipinski is focused on her recovery, sharing a photo of the abdominal binder she wears post-surgery. "I take it off occasionally to take some deep breaths though lol," she captioned the photo.
On her third day post-surgery, she humorously commented on her voluminous hair, saying, "It's a look, isn't it? Don't worry, I brushed it." She added, "I'm lucky I brushed my teeth and put on some moisturizer today. I'm feeling better than yesterday."
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She noted that she feels like she has turned a corner in her recovery, spending most of her time resting in bed but making sure to walk every hour and even managing to go up and down stairs.
Overall, Lipinski said she's recovering well and is hopeful that she will feel even better by the weekend.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Mumtahanah: 13
O believers! Do not ally yourselves with a people Allah is displeased with. They already have no hope for the Hereafter, just like the disbelievers lying in ˹their˺ graves.
