When health educator and entrepreneur Erica Chidi began experiencing heavy p£riods, fatigue, and unusual bl0ating, she never imagined her symptoms were tied to a condition that would one day stretch her ut£rus to the size of a six-month pr£gnancy.
Chidi, co-founder and CEO of LOOM, a women’s health education platform, is now sharing her six-year journey with ut£rine fibroids — non-cancerous growths in or on the ut£rus — in the hope that other women will recognize their symptoms sooner and feel less isolated.
“It can be a really lonely journey,” the 35-year-old told Good Morning America. “Fibroids are what I call invisible obstacles. People can’t see them, so it’s easy to minimize the struggle. But inside, you’re carrying something that profoundly impacts your daily life.”
The Early Signs
Around six years ago, Chidi began to notice unusually heavy m£nstrual ble£ding paired with cramps, bl0ating, and exhaustion. At first, she assumed these were simply part of her m£nstrual cycle. Despite regular OB-GYN checkups, her condition went unnoticed until she pointed out a hard lump in her abdomen.
Her physician ordered a transv£ginal ultr@sound — a diagnostic imaging test that examines the ut£rus, ov£ries, and other p£lvic structures. The scan revealed 10 fibroids, one as large as a grapefruit.
“I was really shocked by how many were found,” Chidi recalled. “My ut£rus was stretched to about 10 weeks of pr£gnancy. That explained the bloating and ble£ding I was dealing with.”
First Treatment Attempt
In 2019, Chidi chose to undergo radiofrequency end0metrial abl@tion, a minimally invasive procedure that targets the ut£rine lining to reduce ble£ding. While ablation can shrink fibroids, it does not eliminate them. The procedure gave her some relief, but within two years her symptoms returned.
By 2021, doctors discovered 23 fibroids crowding her ut£rus, weighing as much as a six-month pr£gnancy.
“For almost two years, I walked around feeling like I was six months pr£gnant,” she said. “But instead of the joy of pr£gnancy, it was constant discomfort and heaviness with no relief in sight.”
The Turning Point
This time, ablation was not an option. Chidi elected for a myom£ctomy, a three-hour surg£ry that removes fibroids while leaving the uterus intact. The surg£ry, performed in April 2022, was a success.
“The place I was before surg£ry had become my normal,” she explained. “I didn’t realize how unwell I felt until my body started to heal. Now I have more energy, less bl0ating, and a new bas£line I didn’t think was possible.”
Doctors expect her recovery to take six months, but Chidi says she already feels better than she has in years.
Raising Awareness, Especially for Black Women
What struck Chidi most during her experience was how common fibroids are, yet how little they’re openly discussed. Research shows that up to 80 percent of women develop fibroids by age 50, with Black women disproportionately affected. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, Black women are not only more likely to develop fibroids, but also to experience larger, more numerous, and more symptomatic growths.
“Once I realized how widespread fibroids are, particularly among Black women, I knew I had to share my story,” Chidi said. “I want women to feel supported and encouraged to seek help early.”
Listening to the Body and Self-Advocacy
Chidi now uses her platform to urge women to listen closely to their bodies and advocate for themselves in medical settings.
“The sooner you bring it up with your doctor, the better,” she advised. “If fibroids are caught while they’re small, sometimes there are treatments that can help. Waiting can mean surg£ry becomes the only option.”
She hopes her story empowers others to request the tests and imaging they need, rather than dismissing persistent symptoms.
What Are Ut£rine Fibroids?
Ut£rine fibroids are round, benign growths that develop in the uterus. They can range in size from as small as an apple seed to as large as a grapefruit. Some women may never notice them, while others experience severe symptoms, including:
Heavy or prolonged m£nstrual bl£eding
P@inful p£riods
Abdominal or back pain
Bloating and pressure
Frequent urination
Anemia caused by bl0od loss
Inf£rtility or pr£gnancy complications
Fibroids are most common during the reproductive years, particularly from the 30s to 50s. They usually shrink after menopause.
While the exact cause remains unknown, risk factors include age, family history, obesity, vitamin D deficiency, high blood pressure, and never having been pregnant.
Treatment Options
Treatment depends largely on the size, number, and location of the fibroids, as well as the severity of symptoms. Options include:
Medication: Birth control pills and hormone therapies can manage bl£eding but may not stop fibroid growth.
Minimally invasive procedures: Endometrial ablation or ut¢rine art£ry embolization, which blocks bl0od supply to fibroids, can reduce symptoms.
Surg£ry: Myomectomy removes fibroids while preserving the uterus, while hysterectomy removes the uterus entirely and prevents recurrence.
“There are more options today than ever before,” said Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News’ chief medical correspondent and a board-certified OB-GYN. “Women should make sure they’re informed about all available treatments, not just the ones their doctor specializes in.”
Breaking the Silence
For Chidi, speaking out is as much about reducing st!gma as it is about education. M£nstrual health issues, she said, are too often dismissed or endured in silence.
“P@inful per!ods and heavy bl£eding should not be normalized,” she said. “They can be a sign of something serious like fibroids. Women deserve to have their concerns taken seriously.”
Her message is clear: women must advocate for themselves, demand answers, and not settle for suffering in silence.
“Fibroids are common, but that doesn’t mean they should control your life,” she said. “Sharing my story is about making sure other women know they’re not alone, and that solutions exist.”
About the Author
