Florence Pugh shares why she froze her eggs at 27

Florence Pugh, the British actress known for her roles in Oppenheimer, Dune: Part Two, and Little Women, has shared her personal journey of freezing her eggs at 27 after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. In a candid discussion on the SHE MD podcast, released on Tuesday, Pugh opened up about how these conditions, both of which can affect fertility, led her to take proactive steps regarding her reproductive health.

Pugh explained that the decision to freeze her eggs came after a health scare. At 27, she became concerned about her fertility after experiencing what she described as “a bit of a worry” the previous summer. She felt the need to get things checked out, and during a visit to the doctor, she learned crucial information about her health. Pugh recalled that what she discovered “probably wouldn’t have been known until I started having kids in another five years.” The diagnosis of PCOS and endometriosis was a shock, given that her family history was full of women who had babies well into their forties. “My mum had babies into her forties, my gran… she had so many kids as well,” she explained. “I just never assumed that I was going to be in any way different.”

The actress described how a routine check-up with gynaecological surgeon Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi led to this unexpected revelation. Pugh initially went to see Dr. Aliabadi after experiencing some “weird dreams,” which led her to consider having her health checked. When the doctor asked if she had ever had her egg count assessed, it prompted further testing. In addition to PCOS, which causes irregular menstrual cycles and infertility, Pugh was diagnosed with endometriosis, a painful condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus.

This diagnosis forced Pugh to face a reality she hadn’t anticipated: that she might need to act quickly if she wanted to preserve her fertility. “I need to get my eggs out and do it quickly, which was just a bit of a mind-boggling realization,” Pugh said. “And one that I’m really, really lucky and glad that I found out when I did because I’ve been wanting kids since I was a child.”

PCOS and endometriosis are common but often under-discussed conditions that can have significant impacts on women’s reproductive health. PCOS affects around 8% to 13% of women of reproductive age, with many going undiagnosed. Symptoms can include changes in menstrual cycles, acne, facial and body hair growth, and infertility. Endometriosis, which impacts more than 11% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the U.S., can cause severe pain and infertility. Despite the prevalence of these conditions, they are frequently overlooked in conversations about women’s health.

Pugh, who has been an advocate for raising awareness of women’s health issues, expressed frustration at the lack of open dialogue about such diagnoses. “I feel so let down by the lack of conversation,” she said on the podcast. “I feel so let down for all of the young women that are going to find this out far too late.” She emphasized that many women do not discover their fertility challenges until they are in their thirties and have already focused heavily on their careers. Pugh believes this is a conversation that should begin much earlier, ideally during adolescence, when young women first begin their menstrual cycles or become sexually active. “It really, really should not take this long for someone to find out about this diagnosis that they have no idea what it is.”

Her decision to freeze her eggs and share her experience publicly is part of an effort to start a broader conversation about women’s reproductive health. Pugh hopes that by sharing her story, more women will be encouraged to have their fertility checked earlier, especially if they suspect there might be issues. She believes that awareness of these conditions is key to preventing women from facing unexpected fertility struggles later in life. “This is such a simple conversation that we should be having when we start our periods, or when we start having sex,” she said.

By speaking out, Pugh hopes to empower women to take control of their health earlier, thus avoiding some of the confusion and disappointment that can arise from later diagnoses. Her openness about a deeply personal experience is helping to shine a light on the importance of early education and proactive health care for women.