Riverdale‘s Lili Reinhart recently spoke out about a deeply personal journey of health: she was just diagnosed with endometriosis after laparoscopic surgery. In what is very much a moment of strength, but also of ultimate vulnerability, the actor uploaded a string of Instagram photos, including those from the hospital and showing surgical scars.
The diagnosis was far from immediate, Reinhart said, who, like many who have endometriosis, spent years in pain without clear answers. A gynecologist once dismissed her problem, suggesting she simply “go on the pill,” but the symptom did not improve, affecting her quality of life.
In a post, Lili told of the long frustrating road through the medical system. She recalled that she had been diagnosed with interstitial cystitis last year by a urogynecologist who informed her there was “no cure” and little lasting relief for symptoms. And although she had visited a hospital three times and seen many urologists and gynecologists none had seriously considered endometriosis as a root cause.
In fact, it wasn’t until Lili herself began to demand answers that she started to get closer to the truth. She finally insisted on an MRI, which showed adenomyosis, a related condition that affects the uterine muscle wall. From there, she found an endometriosis specialist who helped her decide the next course of treatment would be a laparoscopic surgery. At the same time, the other gynecologist was still saying she “probably didn’t have endo.”
Lili said her pain could have easily gone undiagnosed, like so many others. She is grateful to have listened to her body and encourages anyone in similar symptoms to listen to themselves-after all, when your symptoms are dismissed. Her candid post sparked an outpouring of support across social media as fans praised her courage in sharing her journey.
A condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus, endometriosis is a painful pelvic disorder accompanied by exceptionally heavy periods and sometimes infertility. According to the World Health Organization’s report in 2025, the condition affects 10% of women of reproductive age worldwide-about 190 million. While tissue growth usually occurs within the pelvic region, it can also appear elsewhere, even in the abdomen or chest area.
While there is no cure yet for endometriosis, its early detection may help mitigate symptoms. Diagnosis, however, is usually delayed; according to estimates by WHO, this may take 4 to 12 years. The condition is also associated with an increased risk of certain immune-mediated disorders. Lili’s story is one among the increasing movement to raise awareness, provide empathy, and a better diagnostic pathway for endometriosis patients.
