‘I have over 50 fibroids’: Lupita Nyong’o opens up about painful health battles

Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has bravely revealed that she is once again battling a severe recurrence of uterine fibroids, disclosing that she currently has more than 50 growths.

The 42-year-old star of 12 Years a Slave and A Quiet Place: Day One appeared on the Today show on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to share an intimate update on her health journey, shedding light on a condition that affects millions of women worldwide.

Nyong’o first underwent surgery for fibroids in 2014, the same year she won an Oscar. At the time, surgeons removed 23 of the noncancerous growths. However, she revealed to hosts that the condition has returned with a vengeance.

“The first time I got the fibroids taken out, they took out 23,” Nyong’o explained. “And this time, I’ve been informed two years ago that I have over 50.”

Uterine fibroids are common growths that can cause debilitating symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, frequent urination, and severe back and leg pain. The actress explained that she is now facing a difficult crossroads. “I’m being faced with the same options: Surgery or live with the pain.”

While surgery—specifically a myomectomy to remove the growths while preserving the uterus—is an option, Nyong’o admitted she is hesitant. “I’m not ready to make that decision. It’s quite invasive… and it’s a big threat to our reproductive organs.”

During the interview, Nyong’o used a vivid analogy to describe the scale of her condition, a common practice among doctors to help patients understand the size of the growths. “Your fibroid could be the size of a grape,” she said. “My biggest fibroid is the size of an orange.”

Initially, the actress struggled in silence with the diagnosis. “I felt shame. What did I do to cause them? And I felt very alone and quite scared for my reproductive health,” she confessed.

However, by choosing to speak publicly about her ordeal, Nyong’o says she has found strength in solidarity. “I’m excited right now because speaking up has really empowered me. I’ve found community. I’ve locked arms with women who have been fighting this fight for a long time.”

Joined on the show by Katy Brodsky Falco from the Foundation of Women’s Health, Nyong’o has now turned her platform into a campaign for change. She is actively advocating for and raising funds to support scientists in developing less invasive and non-invasive treatment options for fibroids.

“There’s a lot of power in speaking up,” she said. “I think it’s high time we speak up to ensure that this is no longer trivialized and it’s no longer considered normal just because it’s common.”