How uterine pain is normalized in women's health

Fibroids are tumors that grow on or in the wall of the uterus, and about 70% to 80% of women will have them in their lifetime. Black women suffer the most.

But fibroids are widely misunderstood and poorly researched. Federal research about fibroids receives far less money compared to other conditions like prostate or breast cancer.

Actor Lupita Nyong'o has publicly spoken about her struggle with fibroids and her 2014 surgery to remove them.

"When I asked my doctor how to prevent them from returning, her response was devastating: 'You can't. It's only a matter of time until they grow again,'" Nyong'o wrote for the Foundation for Women's Health. "This moment crystallized something profound for me. I realized that as women, we are conditioned from an early age to expect suffering, and to endure it in silence."

Host William Brangham discussed Nyong'o’s experience with Dr. Soyini Hawkins, a gynecologist and surgeon who founded the Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of Georgia.

Horizons from PBS News, dives into the science, health, technology and environmental issues making headlines each week. Visit the PBS News website to watch this week's episode.

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