Tia Mowry shares pregnancy photos as she reflects on the 'fear' and 'isolation' of endometriosis diagnosis
Tia Mowry is reflecting on her journey to becoming a mom after being diagnosed with endometriosis.
The Sister, Sister star, 44, took to Instagram on Friday to share a series of throwback photos of herself pregnant and as a mom. In one photo, she cradles her pregnant belly while wearing an open button down top. In another, she shows off her maternity look in a black dress.
Mowry, who is mom to Cree, 11, and Cairo, 4, wrote about why she was reflecting on her pregnancies in the caption of the post.
"I've always been incredibly outspoken about my endometriosis diagnosis because I know the fear and sense of isolation all too well," she wrote. "Looking back at these photos reminds me how fierce and faithful I had to be. Thankfully, as women, each of us has the ability to draw on that and lean on each other. I do it all for my Cree and Cairo and would do it all over again for them, too."
In November 2021, Mowry spoke to TODAY Parents about her endometriosis diagnosis. At the time, she said her symptoms were "not being taken very seriously." It wasn't until she saw a specialist did she learn that she had the condition, and that it could impact her fertility.
"When you have endometriosis you’re prone to having an ectopic pregnancy, because of the scar tissue," she explained. "With my firstborn Cree, I was experiencing excruciating pain after getting pregnant and that was a fear that the doctors were talking about."
In March, she shared an Instagram post about feeling grateful for her two children.
"I wasn't even sure I would get there – I was so scared when I first heard my diagnosis, thinking I might not be able to have kids," she wrote at the time. "And I know that I'm not the only one who has been on that same journey. But I learned that having endo doesn't necessarily mean that a person's dream of having a child won’t come true. And after making dietary changes, focusing on my health, and a lot of prayer came my beautiful children. So for others out there with endometriosis, I see you – and send you love, strength, encouragement and healing."
In addition to focusing on her physical health, Mowry spoke to Yahoo Life earlier this year about how she prioritizes her mental health as well.
“I realized after the passing of two family members — one was old and one was young — how short life really is. I needed to find my peace and my true happiness and focus on my mental health and start therapy,” she shared. "I've been in talk therapy for three years [now]. I've become extremely intentional when it comes to my mental health. [The past few years] were a wakeup call. Life is short and you need to make sure you are well, mentally. As a Black woman, in our culture, therapy isn't something we grew up doing and [mental health] wasn't something we were mindful of."
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