Anna Good
Model Hailey Bieber posted a photo of her stomach on Instagram the other day to share that the visible bump on her stomach wasn’t due to pregnancy, but because she has an ovarian cyst “the size of an apple.”
The 26-year-old posted the photo to her Story on November 28 with an explanation in the text, saying, “I don’t have endometriosis or PCOS [polycystic ovarian syndrome], but I have gotten an ovarian cyst a few times and it’s never fun.”
She went on to add, “It’s painful and achey and makes me feel nauseous and bloated and crampy and emotional.”
Both endometriosis and PCOS are commonly associated with cysts, which is no doubt why Bieber felt the need to clarify. People with endometriosis can end up with tissue similar to the lining of the womb that grows in places it shouldn’t, like the fallopian tubes and ovaries. Meanwhile, PCOS affects how ovaries function and can cause irregular periods.
Ovarian cysts are very common and can form due to a typical menstrual cycle. According to the Mayo Clinic, “ovarian cysts are sacs, usually filled with fluid, in an ovary or on its surface. […] Most of the time, you have little or no discomfort, and the cysts are harmless. Most cysts go away without treatment within a few months. But sometimes ovarian cysts can become twisted or burst open (rupture).”
Bieber just doesn’t seem to be catching any breaks with her health this year. Back in March, she was having breakfast with husband Justin Bieber when she developed “stroke-like symptoms.” Doctors discovered that she had developed a blood clot in her brain, which resulted in a small stroke and a brief stay in the hospital.
