Halle Berry has opened up about a deeply personal and misunderstood health scare, revealing that she was once misdiagnosed with an STI only to later discover the real truth.
The 58-year-old Oscar-winning actress said the mix-up happened at the start of her relationship with musician Van Hunt, when she began feeling pain during sex and discomfort while urinating.
A painful and confusing misdiagnosis
Speaking earlier this year on The Drew Barrymore Show, Berry recalled being blindsided by the diagnosis.
“I tried to go to the bathroom and I couldn’t go,” she said.
“It was so painful when I tried to let a little bit out. It took me almost 10 minutes just to empty my bladder.”
She explained that she was “so swollen” that she “couldn’t even put [her] legs together to drive” to the doctor’s surgery.
After an initial exam, the clinician told her she had “a really bad case of herpes”, a diagnosis that sent shockwaves through her new relationship.
Berry said she and Hunt began “playing the blame game,” wondering how one of them could have passed on the virus.
But hours later, her doctor called with surprising news: neither she nor Hunt had herpes.
The real cause: perimenopause
Instead of an STI, Berry was experiencing perimenopause, the transitional phase leading up to menopause that causes major hormonal fluctuations.
According to the Menopause Society, perimenopause occurs when the ovaries begin to produce hormones erratically, leading to irregular periods, mood changes, and physical discomfort.
Many women, like Berry, also experience vaginal dryness and pain during sex, often referred to as “vaginal atrophy” or “dry vagina syndrome.”
Berry said the misdiagnosis was a wake-up call.
“My doctor had no knowledge and didn’t prepare me,” she said.
“That’s when I knew I have to use my platform to make a difference for other women.”
Halle Berry’s mission to raise menopause awareness
Since her experience, the Catwoman and Monster’s Ball star has become a passionate advocate for menopause education and women’s health research.
Speaking at the A Day of Unreasonable Conversation summit in Los Angeles in March 2024, Berry joined First Lady Jill Biden to discuss the urgent need for more funding and awareness in women’s healthcare.
“I want to change the way women and men feel about women during their midlife,” Berry said, adding that too many women are left confused and unsupported when symptoms of perimenopause first appear.
Why Halle Berry’s Story Resonates
Berry’s honesty has struck a chord with women around the world who’ve faced similar confusion or embarrassment about menopause symptoms.
Many medical experts agree that perimenopause is frequently misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or even STIs, highlighting a broader lack of training and awareness among healthcare professionals.
By sharing her story, Berry hopes to normalize the conversation. “We have to talk about it,” she said.
“This is something every woman goes through, and no one should feel ashamed.”