When Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o celebrated her 43rd birthday earlier this month, the image she shared with the world was not the usual glamorous portrait. Instead, she sat holding a basket filled with 77 pieces of fruit, each representing a fibroid she has carried in her body over time.
Nyong’o revealed she had 25 fibroids surgically removed and still lives with more than 50, some as large as an orange. For years, she endured heavy bleeding and pain before speaking publicly about the condition that affects millions of women worldwide. “This is not a rare story,” she wrote. “It is just a rarely told one.”
Her story highlights an issue that hits close to home for many women in the Caribbean, where doctors say fibroids are extremely common. Afro-Caribbean women are two to three times more likely to develop them, often at younger ages, and many do not realise they have a problem until symptoms start affecting daily life.
Fibroids are benign growths that develop in or around the uterus. Some grow quietly, causing no symptoms, while others can trigger heavy bleeding, fatigue, pelvic pressure, and fertility challenges. Specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Sherene Kallo says up to 70–80% of women may develop fibroids by age 50. “However, only about 30% develop symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, or pressure. I believe in not troubling it if it’s not troubling you,” she notes.
The problem, she explains, is that many women dismiss their symptoms. “They keep saying it will stop and procrastinate. As a result, many present only when the fibroids are already quite large or causing complications like severe anaemia or frequent urination.”
Dr Yasmin Hosein, specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist, adds that menstrual suffering is often normalised in Caribbean culture. “If a woman needs to change her pad or tampon every two hours, especially with large clots, that is abnormal. If the menstrual cycle lasts longer than seven days, that is not normal and warrants a gynaecological visit. If your periods are heavy enough to affect your job, to change your plans and your daily activities, it is not normal.” She notes that the exact cause of fibroids isn’t fully understood, but genetics, hormones, and diet can all play a role.
Lived realities
Family history made the risk real for Samantha, 32, an assistant manager. She had previously been told she had a couple of small fibroids that “didn’t have much cause for concern.” Over time, she began noticing fatigue, emotional swings, and weight gain around her abdomen, even losing sensation in her right leg. “I felt that something was wrong. Whenever I turned sides while lying down, I felt something move inside of my stomach.” Around the same time, her younger sister, then 24, underwent surgery to remove 87 fibroid growths. “It was then I made the connection that it was my fibroids that were making me feel that way. I knew instantly that I needed to get checked out.”
Her doctor found the fibroids had “multiplied and rapidly grown to the point that you couldn’t see my cervix when being examined.” Samantha opted to remove her womb while preserving her ovaries “as I did not want to go into menopause at a young age.” She underwent surgery in December 2024 and says the improvement has been remarkable. “I have never felt better,” she tells WE. “I am very happy that I do not have to be on contraceptive pills or have a period anymore.”
For Sasha, 33, also an assistant manager, the discovery came unexpectedly during a routine check-up. “I actually didn’t experience any symptoms. No irregular periods, no weight gain, nothing unusual.” Her doctor detected a lump in her lower abdomen, and an MRI later confirmed a large fibroid attached to her womb. “Thankfully, it didn’t affect me physically or professionally, but the news was terrible all the same.”
The initial recommendation was to remove her womb. “While I never considered kids, I didn’t want that choice taken away from me. I remember coming home and tearing up, thinking about how much my life was going to change.” A second opinion offered a less invasive option, and three weeks later, the fibroid was removed with minimal downtime. “Get yourself checked!” she urges other women. “You only have one life and you owe it to yourself to be in your best health. No one ever wants to hear bad news, but earlier detection could possibly mean a less invasive treatment.”
Forty-three-year-old Annie, a mother and wife, faced symptoms that could no longer be ignored. Her periods grew heavier, sometimes lasting up to two weeks and leaving her with a dangerously low blood count. “I was dizzy, out of breath and tired all the time,” she says. Daily routines became difficult, and her child missed school on days she couldn’t handle drop-offs or pickups. Emotionally, it was draining. “I felt sad and angry,” she admits. After tests and monitoring, her doctor recommended surgery to remove three growths. “It can get worse and it will continue to affect your daily life. Don’t delay,” she warns.
Modern solutions and early care
Fibroids remain one of the leading reasons women undergo hysterectomy worldwide. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is one of the most common surgeries performed by gynaecologists. However, Dr Kallo says doctors do try to preserve the uterus whenever possible. “Procedures like myomectomy — removing only the fibroids and conserving the uterus — are increasingly offered. I have taken up to 44 fibroids out in a single patient and then she successfully got pregnant two years later.”
Other medical options include minimally invasive surgeries, hysteroscopic removal through the vagina, and uterine artery embolisation, which cuts off the blood supply to fibroids so they shrink. Access varies, and costs can delay care. “The key message is that early evaluation allows us to offer more treatment options and often avoid major surgery,” says Dr Kallo. Dr Hosein co-signs. “Fibroids usually appear between 30 and 40, but some women have them in their 20s. If something is affecting your daily life, it should not be ignored.”
Nyong’o’s story has brought fibroids into the spotlight, but here at home, women like Samantha, Sasha, and Annie are showing that these experiences are not distant headlines but lived realities. By speaking out, they are helping others recognise the signs and seek help sooner.
The conversation continues.
