ABC News anchor Linsey Davis reveals secret years-long health battle
The 47-year-old journalist told People in a new interview that she was first diagnosed with fibroids - noncancerous growths that develop in or on the uterus - 13 years ago.
'I suffered in silence,' Davis told the outlet. 'It's not something that I would talk to anybody about other than the gynecologist.'
While her doctor initially described her case as mild, she was told the condition could make it harder to have children.
Davis married her husband, Paul Roberts, and the couple welcomed their son Ayden in 2014.
During her pregnancy, doctors noted that her fibroid was growing alongside the fetus but said the baby would ultimately 'win out,' which proved to be the case.
'Fast forward six years, everything's fine, and then I just started having really drastically bad periods that would last for maybe two weeks,' she said.
'They would be very intense bleeding, and my stomach would be bloated as if I were six months pregnant again.'
She was referred to a fibroids specialist, who recommended a myomectomy - surgery to remove fibroids while preserving the uterus.
Six fibroids were removed, and her symptoms subsided.
A year and a half ago, Davis noticed a protrusion on the left side of her lower abdomen.
Although doctors initially suspected it was a hernia, a pelvic ultrasound confirmed the fibroids had returned.
This time, about 13 were detected.
Her doctors presented three treatment options: another myomectomy, uterine fibroid embolization, or a hysterectomy.
The first two came with the possibility of recurrence, while a hysterectomy - removal of the uterus - would be a permanent solution.
Davis decided on a hysterectomy after experiencing bloating during the 2025 Oscars pre-show, which led to speculation online that she was pregnant.
She said she had already been weighing her options, but the incident reinforced her decision.
'At that point, I was just in a state of mind like, I just wanna get rid of them,' she said.
Her surgery is now scheduled for August 15.
Davis said she does not plan to have more children and wants to eliminate the monthly symptoms caused by fibroids.
Fibroids are common, affecting more than 80 percent of Black women and about 70 percent of women overall by age 50.
Davis said she now wants to raise awareness about the condition, sharing her experience so others don't feel they have to endure symptoms in silence.
'So I think that it just feels good to be able to talk with other people who say things like, oh, I had that too, and this is how I dealt with it, and this is what I recommend,' she said.
'I just feel like that is a healthier approach rather than just trying to, on your own, solve for x.'
She plans to discuss her journey further in an upcoming interview with gynecologist Dr. Soyini Hawkins, singer Tamar Braxton, and former 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' cast member Cynthia Bailey, who all have also experienced fibroids.
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