She’s dazzled on red carpets, stunned on screens, and made Oscar history with her breakout performance in 12 Years a Slave. But behind the scenes, Lupita Nyong’o has been privately battling a chronic and painful condition that affects millions of women — and is rarely discussed openly.
In a raw and deeply personal Instagram post on July 15, the 42-year-old actor revealed for the first time that she’s spent over a decade dealing with uterine fibroids, a health crisis that began the very same year she took home her Academy Award.
“In March 2014, I won an Academy Award,” she wrote. “That same year, I discovered I had uterine fibroids.”
A hidden pain
That revelation marked the beginning of a deeply personal account, which - in turn - has led to Nyong'o delivering a national wake-up call.
Nyong’o said she had up to 30 fibroids surgically removed, only to be told by doctors: “It’s only a matter of time… until they grow back again.” For years, she suffered in silence, navigating intense physical symptoms while simultaneously rising to Hollywood superstardom.
“Pain is simply part of being a woman,” she was told — a message she now refuses to accept.
“I started talking about my experience privately, and I realized so many women are going through this,” she said. “We’re struggling alone with something that affects most of us.
"No more suffering in silence!”
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow within or around the uterus. They can range in size from tiny nodules to masses the size of a melon and are extremely common — especially among women in their reproductive years.
According to the Foundation for Women’s Health, an estimated 80% of Black women and 70% of white women will experience fibroids by the age of 50. While some may be symptom-free, others endure intense side effects including:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Anemia
- Pelvic and lower back pain
- Frequent urination
- Constipation and bloating
- Pain during sex
- Infertility or pregnancy complications
Risk factors include family history, early menstruation, obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and diets high in red meat. Black women are two to three times more likely to suffer from fibroids — and with more severe symptoms.
“We must reject the normalization of female pain”
Nyong’o’s decision to go public isn’t just personal — it’s political.
“We need to stop treating this massive issue like a series of unfortunate coincidences,” she declared. “We must reject the normalization of female pain.”
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Her post laid out a bold vision for the future: early screening for teenagers, more accurate diagnostics, better treatment protocols, and serious investment in research.
“I envision a future with early education, better screening protocols, robust preventative research, and less invasive treatments,” she said. “Let’s study women’s health and prioritize this chronic condition that has never been comprehensively examined.”
From silence to action
Nyong’o has taken her advocacy further by partnering with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant.
The initiative will fund development of less invasive and more effective treatments, aiming to improve the quality of life for the 15 million Americans estimated to be living with fibroids.
She’s also joined a coalition of Democratic lawmakers to push forward a package of congressional bills aimed at expanding fibroid research, increasing early detection and public awareness, and investigating links to uterine cancer.
Her hope? That others who’ve felt “dismissed, confused, or alone” in their health journey will feel seen and supported — and that the system begins to shift.
Nyong’o’s revelation comes at a time when more celebrities are beginning to speak out about women’s reproductive health - such as Bindi Irwin - who are challenging a culture that often treats painful periods, fertility struggles, and gynecological disorders as taboo.
But for Nyong’o, this is about more than just visibility. It’s about creating change.
“Despite how common the condition is, society doesn’t speak enough about it,” she said. “No more struggling in silence!”
And she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Nyong’o will next appear alongside Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway in Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey, set for release in 2026 — a reminder that even while battling through pain, she continues to lead with power, grace, and fearless transparency.