Hours before she and her sister Serena clinched their sixth Wimbledon doubles title in 2016, Venus Williams wasn’t basking in pre-match adrenaline, she was on the locker-room floor, crippled by pelvic pain.1
“I was in so much pain, my sister took matters into her own hands and brought in a doctor to help me get off the floor”, she recalled. “The doctor came in to give me some pain medication, and I was up on my feet again and able to hold up my side of the court. But that was a turning point for me, when things started to get really bad”.1
Williams knew she had uterine fibroids. What she didn’t know, because no one had connected the dots for her, was that the fibroids were likely driving her heavy bleeding, fatigue, and pain. For years, she heard the same refrain: these symptoms were “normal,” and beyond watchful waiting, the only real solution was hysterectomy.1
“I didn’t associate the fibroids with my symptoms. I had no idea that fibroids had symptoms”, says Venus Williams. “No one ever explained that to me, so I didn’t connect these issues to something that could be treated”.
Her turning point came when she found a team that listened. At NYU Langone’s Center for Fibroid Care, her team developed a personalized plan designed not just to shrink tumors but to restore her quality of life. Today, Williams is using her platform to help others recognize fibroid warning signs sooner and push for care that honors their goals, not just the easiest path to the operating room.1
Fibroids Are Common. Dismissal Shouldn’t Be.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in or around the uterus. They’re extraordinarily common and by age 50, up to 80% of women will have them.2 However, “common” does not mean benign in lived experience. Fibroids can cause:
- Heavy, prolonged periods (sometimes leading to anemia).2
- Pelvic pain or pressure; pain with sex.2
- Frequent urination or constipation (from mass effect).2
- Back pain.2
- Fertility challenges or pregnancy complications.2
Normalizing these symptoms delays diagnosis, deepens anemia and exhaustion, and narrows treatment choices. Timely care matters.
The Disparity Black Women Live With
Venus’ journey is deeply personal, but it is also painfully common, especially among Black women. Research consistently shows that Black women are two to three times more likely to develop fibroids, often at younger ages and with more severe symptoms. Yet, they also face greater delays in diagnosis and fewer minimally invasive treatment options compared to white women.3
Additionally, unconscious bias among healthcare providers can lead to Black women’s symptoms being dismissed or not taken seriously, even when providers don’t intend to discriminate.The medical system’s troubling history with Black women, particularly in obstetrics and gynecology, has created lasting trust issues that continue today.3
This historical mistreatment influences how some Black women and their families approach healthcare decisions and interact with medical professionals. When combined with economic barriers and provider bias, these factors create a cycle where Black women may receive delayed, inadequate, or inappropriate care. Understanding these complex, overlapping challenges is crucial for addressing the persistent health disparities that Black women face.
What Better Care Looks Like
1. Clinical care that centers the patient.4
- Early, respectful evaluation of heavy bleeding and pelvic pain, no minimization.
- Full counseling on all options: medication (e.g., hormonal therapy, GnRH antagonists), minimally invasive procedures (uterine fibroid embolization, laparoscopic or hysteroscopic myomectomy, radiofrequency ablation), and hysterectomy when appropriate.
- Shared decision-making aligned to the patient’s goals (fertility, recovery time, symptom control).
2. Access and affordability.4
- Referral to centers of excellence in fibroid care, including academic programs with financial-assistance pathways.
- Transparent cost discussions; help navigating insurance approvals and time off work.
- Community partnerships that bring high-quality gynecologic care to neighborhoods historically left out.
3. Bias-aware practice.4
- Training clinicians to recognize and correct patterns of dismissal.
- Embedding equity metrics into quality improvement (e.g., tracking time to diagnosis and distribution of treatment types by race/ethnicity).
How to Advocate for Yourself (and Your Community)5
- Track your symptoms. Bring a log of bleeding days, flow (pads/tampons per day), pain scores, fatigue, and any urinary/bowel symptoms.
- Ask explicitly for options. “Can you walk me through medical therapy, minimally invasive procedures, and surgery and how each fits my goals?”
- Seek a second opinion. Especially at a dedicated fibroid center, if hysterectomy is presented as the only path.
- Name your priorities. Fertility preservation? Fast recovery? Bleeding control? Your plan should reflect your life.
- Tap assistance. Large health systems and some nonprofits (e.g., community foundations, fibroid advocacy groups) can help with cost, transportation, and leave paperwork.
The Power of Vulnerability. Thank you, Venus!
Venus Williams’s platform brings light to a reality many Black women have long known: pain is not “just part of being a woman,” and suffering in silence isn’t a requirement for care. Her arc, from dismissal to tailored treatment to public advocacy, mirrors the change we need: from normalization to naming, from bias to belief, from one-size-fits-all to equitable, person-centered care.
Fibroids are common. Delayed diagnosis and limited options shouldn’t be. When we confront the structures that weather Black women’s bodies, and redesign care to counter that weathering, we move from awareness to justice.
References
- NYU Langone Staff. (2025, July 3). Venus Williams Shares Her Journey with Uterine Fibroids & Advocates for Women’s Health. Retrieved from NYU Langone Health: https://nyulangone.org/news/venus-williams-shares-her-journey-uterine-fibroids-advocates-womens-health
- Stewart, E. A., & Laughlin-Tommaso, S. K. (2025, July). Patient education: Uterine fibroids (Beyond the Basics). Retrieved from UpToDate: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/uterine-fibroids-beyond-the-basics/print
- Katon, J. G., Plowden, T., & Marsh, E. (2023). Racial disparities in uterine fibroids and endometriosis: a systematic review and application of social, structural, and political context. Fertility and Sterility. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.022
- Black Women’s Health Imperative. (2025). Compassionate Care for Patients with Uterine Fibroids. Retrieved from Black Womens Health Imperative: https://21259597.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21259597/fibroids/A%20Provider%20UF%20Resource%20Final.pdf?__hstc=77786379.7a6be06305eb9266434fe438b6985bfd.1754954419473.1754954419473.1754954419473.1&__hssc=77786379.1.1754954419473&__hsfp=3923671493
- Black Women’s Health Imperative. (2025). SPARE ME: Real Talk for Compassionate Care for Black women with Uterine Fibroids. Retrieved from Black Women’s Health Imperative: https://21259597.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21259597/fibroids/Spare-Me-Discussion-Guide-Final.pdf?__hstc=77786379.7a6be06305eb9266434fe438b6985bfd.1754954419473.1754954419473.1754954419473.1&__hssc=77786379.1.1754954419473&__hsfp=3923671493&hsCt
