You may recognize Lupita Nyong’o from her variety of movie roles, but the star recently shared about a health problem she was dealing with while filming one of her most famous ones. Taking to Instagram, Nyong’o stated that she discovered she had fibroids while being lauded for her impressive performance in “12 Years a Slave”. While she has been quiet about it for some time, the actress now has a lot to say, and a lot of Black women need to listen.
What Lupita Nyong’o Had to Say
On July 16, Nyong’o made a statement on Instagram that she wanted to speak out for Fibroid Awareness Month. In 2014, she won an Academy Award for her performance in “12 Years a Slave”, but that wasn’t the only notable event of that year. She also noted that it was the year that she was diagnosed with uterine fibroids.
After her diagnosis, Nyong’o only spoke with a few people about the condition, but since then, she seems to have realized how many women keep the condition to themselves. It would explain why she added that she hopes her post would help anyone who felt “dismissed, confused, or alone.”
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That’s not where the story ends, though. Nyong’o wants to go a step further to help those who have been afflicted with the condition.
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How She Wants to Help
In her post, Nyong’o notes that many women are suffering in silence partly because they’ve been told since puberty that periods will be painful. The expectation of discomfort can mean that a lot of women don’t talk to their doctors about their symptoms. This can lead to fibroids being undiagnosed, as fibroids can cause low back pain, bleeding between periods, painful periods, and heavy bleeding.
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Though some fibroids can be asymptomatic, you can also deal with bloating, pain during sex, constipation, frequent urination, the inability to empty the bladder, and long-term vaginal discharge. Still, some women don’t bring this to the attention of their doctors. Even those who have been diagnosed don’t necessarily discuss the condition with others.
In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, researchers estimate that the actual number of women who are living with fibroids is higher than recorded because only the women who have significant symptoms will see a doctor.
That’s why Nyong’o has partnered with several congresswomen, including Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, to introduce a legislative package that includes uterine health initiatives. The four bills in the package are the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act, the Uterine Fibroid Intervention and Gynecological Health Treatment (U-FIGHT) Act, the Uterine Cancer Study Act, and the Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month Resolution.
One aim of this package is to spread awareness about fibroids so that women are educated about the symptoms of the condition as well as their options for diagnosis and treatment. The bill would also encourage more in-depth analysis of the causes of fibroids and seek out less invasive measures for treatment.
To further emphasize the need for less invasive treatment options, Nyong’o has also partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to launch the FWH x Lupita Nyong’o Uterine Fibroid Research Grant. This grant will fund the development of minimally or non-invasive treatments to help improve the lives of women who are dealing with fibroids.
Nyong’o is particularly interested in exploring different forms of treatment because of her own experience. After being diagnosed, she notes that she was told her only options were to live with the symptoms or undergo invasive surgery to remove the fibroids. The procedure she underwent is known as a myomectomy. In that, a surgeon can use different methods to access the affected area to remove the abnormal growths.
Other options for treating fibroids can depend on the severity of your symptoms and whether or not you wish to have children in the future. You may undergo uterine fibroid embolization, where a small catheter is placed in your uterine artery or radial artery to inject small particles, which then block blood flow to the fibroids. Those with smaller fibroids can opt for radiofrequency ablation (RFA), in which microwave (RF) energy is used to treat uterine fibroids.
However, regardless of which of those methods you choose, there’s always a risk of fibroids returning. The only permanent treatment for fibroids is a hysterectomy. In this case, a surgeon removes the uterus entirely, and so it’s highly unlikely for the fibroids to grow back. Unfortunately, if you plan to have children, this can be a difficult decision to make.
This is why more research into treatment options that aren’t as invasive and affect fertility would be so beneficial.
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Why It’s Important for Black Women
While fibroids can affect anybody, they are far more common in Black women than in other ethnicities. There is also evidence that the symptoms that Black women experience tend to be worse. Though doctors expect the women who deal with fibroids to be in their late 30s and 40s, studies show that Black Americans can develop the condition at a younger age. Some are even in their teens.
To make things worse, fibroids may grow more quickly and aggressively in Black women, which would explain why their symptoms are worse. While about 42 percent of women with fibroids are hospitalized annually, most of them are Black. They are also generally more likely to undergo myomectomies or hysterectomies. Sometimes, this happens because of the severity of their symptoms. However, it has also been suggested that some doctors don’t discuss all treatment options with their Black patients–opting instead to recommend surgery.
The packaged bill and research grant that Lupita Nyong’o has stated can make a huge difference in the lives of Black women. Not only would they result in more Black Americans being aware of how fibroids affect them specifically, but they can also potentially identify why these women are more likely to have the condition. That opens the door for potentially diagnosing uterine fibroids earlier and possibly reducing the risk of developing them.
Additionally, Black women can be more aware of the treatment options that are available so they can have informed conversations with their doctors. Finally, the discovery of less invasive treatments for the condition may mean that fewer women have to make the difficult choice between their quality of life and fertility.
Just like Lupita Nyong’o, many Black women deal with fibroids silently. Fortunately, Nyong’o decided to speak out as well as make an impact with her story. By forming a grant and supporting a fibroid health bill package, she hopes to help more women get the help they need.
