U.S.-born Kenyan American actress Lupita Nyong’o, famous for her presence in the movie ‘The Black Panther’, has revealed that she has over 50 uterine fibroids, a condition where noncancerous growths form on the uterus and can lead to debilitating symptoms like heavy menstrual bleeding, long periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination, and constipation.
Recently, Nyong’o appeared on an American Talk Show and talked about her experience with fibroids.
She highlighted that she realized she had the condition in 2014.
“The first time I got the fibroids taken out, they took out 23, and this time, I’ve been informed two years ago that I have over 50. And I’m being faced with the same options, Surgery or live with the pain,” she said.
The 42-year-old star said she hasn’t decided yet whether to go for a myomectomy, a surgery to remove fibroids while preserving the uterus.
“I’m not ready to make that decision,” she shared. “It’s quite invasive… and it’s a big threat to our reproductive organs.”
Nyong’o has appeared in movies like The Black Panther, The Wild Robot, 12 Years a Slave, and many more.
Uterine fibroids are not only affecting women in other countries, as in Malawi, reports indicate that 375 fibroid cases were registered at Mzuzu and Queen Elizabeth Central hospitals in 2025, and out of 250 uterine fibroids registered at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, 26 were operated on.
Meanwhile, a study by the University of the Free State in South Africa has found that some sanitary pads and pantyliners sold in South Africa contain hormone-disrupting chemicals, which may also be contributing to the prevalence rate of fibroids in women.