Olivia Culpo Offers Powerful Advice for Fellow Women Dealing With Endometriosis
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Model and reality TV star Olivia Culpo has long been open about her journey with endometriosis. After suffering with chronic pain for years, the 31-year-old finally got a proper diagnosis—nearly a dozen years after her symptoms first appeared—after continually advocating for her own health. She had endometriosis surgery in November 2020, and has since used her platform to create a community for women dealing with the chronic disease.
In an Instagram story Q&A earlier this week, the four-time SI Swimsuit model provided an update on her endometriosis journey, prompted by a follower who inquired and noted that they themselves are coming up on three years post-surgery.
“It’s going really well!” Culpo responded, expressing her gratitude for her team of doctors, including Smitha Vilasagar, MD, FACOG, and Thais Aliabadi, MD, OB-GYN.
“Endometriosis never ‘goes away’ but there are a lot of ways to suppress the disease and painful symptoms,” the former Miss Universe shared. “If you or someone you know think you have endometriosis make sure you are with a trusted doctor and always get a second or third opinion! You want to make sure you’re with a qualified surgeon so you don’t have to re-do it a bunch of times and can be pain free faster.”
The World Health Organization estimates that 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis globally. The disorder causes extreme pelvic pain due to a buildup of uterine tissue outside of the uterus.
Read more about Culpo’s endometriosis journey here.
