Lena Dunham undergoes hysterectomy amid endometriosis battle

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Lena Dunham said she underwent a hysterectomy amid her ongoing battle with endometriosis.

The 31-year-old actress said in an essay for the March issue of Vogue that she had an elective total hysterectomy in hopes of ending her struggle with the disease.

Dunham said she chose to have a hysterectomy after "years of complex surgeries measuring in the double digits" and many alternative treatments, including pelvic floor surgery, massage therapy and pain therapy. Her surgeons discovered other medical issues during the procedure.

"In addition to endometrial disease, an odd hump-like protrusion and a septum running down the middle, I have retrograde bleeding, a.k.a. my period running in reverse so that my stomach is full of blood," the star said.

"My ovary has settled in on the muscles around the sacral nerves in my back that allow us to walk. Let's please not even talk about my uterine lining," she added. "The only beautiful detail is that the organ -- which is meant to be shaped like a light bulb -- was shaped like a heart."

Dunham has battled endometriosis for years, and canceled her Lenny Letter tour in May due to the pain of the condition.

"My body, which I've worked through all kinds of pain for many years, just doesn't have what it takes to do this tour," she explained at the time.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm in the greatest amount of physical pain that I have ever experienced," the star said. "After being told I was endometriosis-free after my last procedure, more disease was found in deeper spots that required immediate surgery and now physical therapy."

Dunham is best known for creating and starring on the HBO series Girls.