This article was medically authored by Dr. AJ Valenson and last reviewed for accuracy on 10/02/2026.
In 2018, Real Housewives of Atlanta Star Porsha Williams' fibroids challenges surrounded being pregnant with her first child, following years of infertility. Later, after undergoing a complex pregnancy with fibroids, she went on to deliver a healthy baby, only to be plagued by continued problems in the years that followed. Ultimately, she had to undergo emergency surgery—a partial hysterectomy—due to the return and proliferation of her uterine tumors. Today, we share her story to help other women avoid similar outcomes along their fibroid journeys.
Key Takeaways
Ms. Williams and her ex-husband, Kordell Stewart suffered one miscarriage during their marriage. For the next six years, Porsha struggled to get pregnant again. During this difficult period, Porsha learned that she had uterine fibroids (non-cancerous tumors that grow in the uterus) that could be affecting her ability to carry a baby. Because of her age and hopes for a family, Porsha sought fertility-saving treatment. She ultimately had a myomectomy—a surgery that removed her fibroid but kept her uterus in place and intact.
While her first marriage ended, her hopes for a baby did not. She found new love with boyfriend Dennis McKinley. And then, in early 2019, the couple welcomed daughter PJ. At the time, Porsha told people, "It’s something we’ve both always wanted."
Even hearing that she was finally pregnant was a tense moment for Porsha. On the way into her first pregnancy scan, she wondered, "Because I suffer with fibroids and had to have a myomectomy [I kept thinking] ‘Is the baby going to be okay? Will I make it full term?’ All those questions that you ask if you’ve had a miscarriage before.”
Unfortunately, during that pregnancy with fibroids, some of her fears were realized. According to People.com, Porsha suffered “some pregnancy complications due to large fibroids. She was admitted to the hospital.”
While Porsha was released from hospital and went on to deliver a healthy baby, she spoke to Bravo TV about the incident, saying "In my second trimester…I had that one little scare, when I had to go to the hospital, but since then I haven’t had any issue with the fibroids."
As her daughter got older, Porsha’sdecided to share her story with other women, hoping to help them access fibroid care before they experienced similar complications. Noting that, “It’s actually pretty sad that I didn’t find out that I had fibroids until I was pregnant. So, you know, I’m really big about wanting to make sure that women get checked … for fibroids, because, unfortunately, doctors don’t ask you about it. Doctors don’t check.”
Just after that interview, Porsha underwent uterine fibroid embolization. She explained that, “I hope to have more kids in the future, and, because this procedure "reserves your fertility," it was the best choice for her fibroid journey.
Still, she maintained fears about the tumors returning, and about having to live through another pregnancy with fibroids. In fact, on one episode of RHOA, Porsha revealed that she’d implanted an IUD after PJ’s birth, even though it’s a semi-permanent form of birth control. Her reason? Fear of pregnancy complications. And a newly-discovered fibroid regrowth.
On the show, Porsha explained to Denis: "It’s in the same place as my other fibroids were, [but] it’s much, much larger. [My doctor] was like, ‘To have the myomectomy again would make the whole thing difficult to deliver a baby.’ She was like, ‘Well, the other option would be to leave [the fibroid] and then if I got pregnant, see if the baby would possibly outgrow it.'”
For a long time, that option felt too frightening for Porsha. She told Dennis, "I don’t know. I’m scared to just roll the die and get pregnant, and not know what’s going to happen.”
Seven years after the birth of her daughter, Porsha Williams penned an essay for Glamour sharing a devastating update. She’d accompanied a friend to an OBGYN appointment, and asked to be examined herself due to ongoing symptoms such as long periods and extreme fatigue. During that exam, the doctor discovered 21 fibroids, including one that was as large as a cantaloupe. She had to undergo emergency surgery, and a partial hysterectomy. While mourning the outcome, Williams wrote, “I didn’t have a choice about the hysterectomy, but it saved my life.”
While Porsha’s story ended with a premature loss to her fertility, she did manage to have her longed-for child. Clearly, a successful pregnancy with fibroids is possible, but—as was the case for Porsha—the tumors can cause complications. Between 10 and 30 percent of pregnant fibroid sufferers will experience complications. Problems range from mild to severe, and can include:
In an ideal situation, a woman's fibroids would be treated before she became pregnant. Lika Porsha, however, many women don't know they have fibroids until after they've conceived! Luckily, once a pregnant woman is found to have fibroids, most symptoms can be treated with minimal intervention.
Fibroids should also be monitored throughout your pregnancy. The hormonal changes affecting your body during this time may cause the tumors to grow larger. In some cases, however, the hormones have the opposite effect, shrinking the fibroids as your baby grows.
Whatever your situation or symptoms, staying aware of your fibroid symptoms during pregnancy will help ensure a safe and on time delivery for your baby. Once your child is born, you can determine the best treatment option for your specific situation. If you choose to delay treatment until your child is older, be sure to monitor your symptoms to avoid reaching a condition in which hysterectomy is unavoidable. And, if you’re ready to explore minimally-invasive fibroid treatment—preserving your uterus and the possibility of expanding your family—we invite you to request a consultation at one of our eight Texas Endovascular locations in the greater Houston and Dallas regions.
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