Award winning Nollywood actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim has revealed that she can never have children of her own because she removed her womb to live a normal life.
During an event tagged ‘Conversation with Nse’, the 44-year-old actress disclosed that she was diagnosed three years ago with Adenomyosis, a condition whereby the inner lining of the uterus breaks through the muscle wall of the uterus. She had to remove her womb to live a normal life.
“I was told I couldn’t have kids,” she said to the now sombre audience. “And so, I had to have a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) to make me have a life again and to stop going through what I was going through.
“And I’m literarily telling women and men, it really doesn’t matter if you can’t bear children. What really matters is what you would do for the world, for the universe.”
Recalling the moment when the doctor told her she’d have to have remove her uterus to live a normal life, Nse said:
“Tears dropped and then my husband squeezed my hand. It was reassuring there was someone there and it was telling me that this is reality, my reality.”
Speaking further, she revealed the ordeal made her fall into a depression.
“I didn’t think there was any point anymore because my society taught me that I have to be a mother to be appreciated and every time I went online, I would have one troll or two say ‘you never born? But I’m thankful that that didn’t break me. I’m thankful for Nollywood.”