Lena Dunham has marked nine months since her hysterectomy with nude photographs of herself, saying she gives thanks for her body.
The Girls creator showcased her tattoos in the pictures after she had the operation at the age of 31 following a battle with endometriosis.
One of the tattoos reads RIP Judy, which is the name given to her uterus by one of her friends.
She wrote on Instagram: “Today is National Leathercraft Day, National Relaxation Day and National Lemon Merengue Pie Day.
“It’s also the 9 month anniversary of my hysterectomy. I’ve never celebrated the 9 month anniversary of anything and I realized last night why that number feels so funny- I won’t ever do it the way I planned to.
“My body is mostly healed and every day I find a new bruise on my heart, but today I offer myself gratitude: from the most pained place, I somehow knew to choose myself.
“The purest glint of who we are and know we can be is always available to us, calm and true at our center.
“My friend Paul named my uterus Judy, and when she was being uppity we called her out, hence the tattoo on my ribs, which hurt like f*** even through the pain meds: #RIPJudy.
“Today I give thanks for Judy, for her graceful exit and for this body, which is stronger than I’ve ever given it credit for. Happy Giving Birth To Myself Day.”
The actress has spoken openly about her health battles and previously shared a picture from hospital, writing: “Your body failing you is a loss that’s hard to explain and yet the amount of messages I’ve gotten from women in a similar predicament has been so overwhelming, loving and heartening.
“More than 20 million women in America are living with hysterectomies and those of you who’ve shared your plight and perseverance make me feel so honored to be in your company.
“Thank you to the village of women who took care of me through this entire process.
“I have a broken heart and I hear those don’t mend overnight, but we are linked forever by this experience and our refusal to let it hold any of us back from even the grandest dreams.”