Florence Pugh Details Decision To Freeze Eggs After Being Diagnosed With Endometriosis And PCOS

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Florence Pugh was dealt “life-changing” news last year after she was diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—conditions that prompted her to take control of her fertility and freeze her eggs. The 28-year-old opened up about her health struggles with her gynaecologist Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi and women’s health advocate Mary Alice Haney on their podcast, She MD.

Both endometriosis, a painful disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, and PCOS, a syndrome that causes hormonal imbalances, irregular periods and cysts in the ovaries, make it difficult for women to fall pregnant. But at the start of her personal journey, Pugh was unaware of just how significant the choice to safeguard her future as a mother would be—especially at such a young age.

“I had this sudden feeling that I should go and get everything checked. I’d had a few weird dreams; I think my body was telling me,” the Dune: Part Two star began. During her initial visit to the world-renowned OBGYN, Pugh undertook an egg count with the test results leading to the doctor to “point out exactly what I had”.

“It was just so bizarre because my family are baby-making machines,” the Midsommar actress continued. “My mom had babies into her 40s. My gran had so many kids as well, I just never assumed that I was going to be in any way different and that there was going to be an issue with it.” Pugh explained that her family history never made her worry about her prospects of conceiving, so her reproductive health “wasn’t a red flag”.

“Then, of course, I learned completely different information, at age 27, that I need to get my eggs out and do it quickly, which was just a bit of a mind-boggling realisation and one that I’m really lucky and glad that I found out when I did because I’ve been wanting kids since I was a child,” she added.

Despite the process being expensive, emotional and uncomfortable, Pugh explained she was grateful for the discovery as it led to freezing more and higher quality eggs than if she waited until she was older. “It means I have to be on the ball and really wake up and take it a bit more seriously than I would’ve done,” she added.

While Pugh is closely guarded about her personal life, the themes of this discussion echo her role in the upcoming romantic drama We Live In Time. The Academy Award nominee stars across from Andrew Garfield as partners who experience the full gamut of human emotion as the story of their lives unfold over a decade in London.

Their dynamic shifts after Pugh’s character is diagnosed with cancer, leaving the pair to cherish each moment. “I’ve been desperate for a role like this for a few years,” Pugh said of the film, acknowledging that it centres on a “woman who is current and relatable and going through all of the conversations modern women are going through daily.”

Watch the trailer for the film below, and listen to Pugh’s conversation in full, here.