Lupita Nyong’o is speaking out about women’s health, specifically how fibroids are rarely spoken about, yet are incredibly common.
Featured VideoIn today’s climate, women’s healthcare is under attack due to the “Big, Beautiful Bill” threats on reproductive care and abortion access. Because of how the government tends to disregard the health of women, awareness is the only way to broadcast our voices. One of the women willing to showcase the importance of women’s health is Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o.
Nyong’o recently teamed up with members of the Congressional Black Caucus to introduce legislative bills dedicated to the issue of fibroids. For the unaware, uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that can develop in or around the uterus. Heavy bleeding is the most common symptom, along with other symptoms such as pelvic pain, constipation, and painful intercourse.
As she takes her fight to Capitol Hill, Nyong’o is pushing for expanded research of uterine fibroids, as well as early detection of uterine cancer. What she describes as “systemic failure”, Nyong’o hopes that her advocacy will help many women who have been silenced and dismissed from the condition.
AdvertisementLupita has a personal history with fibroids
On her official TikTok page, Nyong’o opened up about her emotional journey with fibroids, which she was diagnosed with in 2014.
She notes that during her surgery, 30 fibroids were removed, and the doctor consulted with her about the possibility of the fibroids coming back. The main takeaway from the post was the disparity of fibroids with Black women and white women.
Advertisement“8 out of 10 Black women and 7 out of 10 white women will experience fibroids. Yet we speak so little of them”, she wrote in her TikTok post.
While fibroids are more likely to affect women during their reproductive years, Black women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with fibroids than white women, per Kaiser Permanente. Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, and a family history of fibroids. Among that, fibroids are often overlooked by doctors and healthcare physicians, with reasons ranging from limited treatment to medical gaslighting.
Another reproductive condition that is also overlooked is endometriosis. Endometriosis occurs when uterine tissue similar to the lining of the uterus starts to grow in other places of the body. Similar to fibroids, symptoms of endometriosis include pelvic pain, painful periods, and infertility. A typical endometriosis diagnosis is often delayed by four to 11 years. This is due to medical practitioners not taking a woman’s pain seriously or misdiagnosing them with similar conditions.
AdvertisementUsers showcase their online support for Nyong’o
Nyong’o’s post has received a tremendous amount of support from the online community. Some users pointed out that all reproductive conditions deserve more attention, while others shared their sympathy for the state of women’s pain.
“PCOS, fibroids, endometriosis. The list goes on. We’re suffering,” one user writes.
“Uterine fibroids. Endo. PMDD – all need more funding! And let’s please GOD normalize anesthesia for IUD placement,” another user adds.
Advertisement“It’s so important to see women with a platform speaking about fibroids and other women’s health conditions,” a third user comments.
One user also points out the dehumanization of women’s pain. “I love how you said we have to stop associating being a woman with pain and being doomed to be in pain. I can write a whole essay on this, especially as a Black woman.”
There were also profound comments relating to hysterectomies.
One user commented, “I don’t want the following generations to have hysterectomies as a treatment for fibroids. I want them to be free from that.”
AdvertisementAnother user writes, “Thank u for posting this! My mom had fibroids :/ I remember her periods being so debilitating and long, like 19 days. She ended up getting a hysterectomy to resolve the issue, and she’s doing much better!!!”
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