Uterine Fibroids: Understanding Her Condition and Surgery

Essential Points

• Diagnosis: Linsey Davis has lived with uterine fibroids for over a decade, initially diagnosed 13 years ago.
• Symptoms: Her condition progressed to severe symptoms, including heavy menstrual cycles and bloating.
• Decision: Davis chose to undergo a hysterectomy for a permanent solution to her fibroid issues.
• Awareness: Her story highlights the importance of discussing fibroid health, especially among Black women.

Linsey Davis, the Emmy-winning ABC News anchor, is opening up about a personal health battle she quietly faced for over a decade. In August 2025, she told PEOPLE she has been living with fibroids since first being diagnosed 13 years ago. “I suffered in silence. It’s not something that I would talk to anybody about other than the gynecologist,” she shared. Her decision to speak out comes as other high-profile women, including Lupita Nyong’o, have recently revealed their own experiences with fibroids, helping to raise awareness about a condition that affects millions of women — particularly Black women — and encouraging others to seek the care they need.

Find out more about her health journey, the condition, and others who have faced similar struggles below.

What Is Linsey Davis’ Health Condition?

When Linsey was first diagnosed 13 years ago, she was told the condition was mild, but over time the fibroids grew and her symptoms intensified. By 2020, she was experiencing heavy, prolonged menstrual cycles, severe bloating, and exhaustion—symptoms that affected both her comfort and her confidence. That year, she underwent a myomectomy to remove six fibroids, which brought temporary relief.

Less than two years later, her symptoms returned, and doctors discovered 13 new fibroids. “I started feeling a little knot protruding from the left side of my lower abdomen,” she said.

Faced with the choice between another myomectomy, uterine fibroid embolization, or a hysterectomy, Davis opted for the latter, citing a desire for a permanent solution. Scheduled for August 15, 2025, the procedure marked what she described as an opportunity to live free from the discomfort and unpredictability that had defined so much of her life.

“I will never miss having a period,” she admitted. “A few weeks ago, I bought what I believe to be my last box of tampons ever, and I had a moment like, this is great. I’m excited to be able to live my life without having to schedule and plan and worry and be anxious that I’m gonna have this heavy bleeding and excessive bloating and this uncomfortable menstrual cycle every month.”

She added, “I feel confident that my life will be better.”

How Does Linsey Davis Manage Family Life?

Despite learning about her fibroid diagnosis before marrying her husband, Paul Roberts, in 2013 — and knowing the condition can complicate pregnancy — Linsey went on to welcome her only child, son Ayden, in 2014.

“During my pregnancy, they said that the fibroid was growing along with the fetus but it should be okay because at a certain point, the baby wins out. And that’s what happened,” she recalled. “I had my son and didn’t have any concerns.”

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus, often during a woman’s reproductive years. These tumors—also called myomas or leiomyomas—are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue and can vary in size, number, and location.

Who Else Has Been Diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids?

Former First Lady Michelle Obama revealed in her memoir Becoming that she had undergone surgery to remove fibroids, while actress Gabrielle Union has spoken candidly about her multiple procedures and fertility struggles related to fibroids. Cynthia Bailey, a star on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, also shared her fibroid journey on national television. Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in March 2014, the same year she won her Academy Award for 12 Years a Slave but revealed her diagnosis publicly in July 2025.

According to Michigan Medicine, Black women are diagnosed with fibroids roughly three times more frequently than white women, tend to develop them earlier in life, and experience larger and more numerous growths that cause more severe symptoms.