In a recent feature, Ebony Magazine explored the challenges Black women face with uterine fibroids by sharing the personal stories of Venus Williams and Lupita Nyong’o. Both women have spoken about their experiences with fibroids, joining a growing number of celebrities calling attention to how often symptoms are overlooked or dismissed.
USA Fibroid Centers was cited in the piece as an expert source on the prevalence of fibroids, particularly among Black women. Research shows that Black women are two to three times more likely to develop fibroids than white women. By age 50, about 80% of Black women will have fibroids, compared to around 70% of white women.
Venus Williams spoke with NBC News Now about the ways fibroids impacted her health throughout her tennis career, describing symptoms that included intense cramping, heavy bleeding, and persistent anemia. It wasn’t until she connected with fibroid specialists that she was able to have a myomectomy, a surgery that removes fibroids while preserving the uterus.
Lupita Nyong’o also shared that she was diagnosed with fibroids in 2014, the same year she won an Oscar. Like Williams, she experienced delays in getting a diagnosis because her symptoms were not taken seriously at first. She has since partnered with the Foundation for Women’s Health to advocate for increased research and funding focused on fibroids. Nyong’o called for more attention to this condition that affects so many yet remains underfunded and underdiagnosed.
These stories reflect what many Black women experience—pain that is often minimized and care that is delayed. As more high-profile voices speak out, they help raise awareness and encourage others to seek care and trust their instincts when symptoms are dismissed.
To read more from Ebony Magazine, click here.