Ashley Iaconetti, 37, Reveals She’s Had 2 Breast Biopsies

Ashley Iaconetti  revealed that she’s had two breast biopsies.

During the March 4 episode of her Almost Famous podcast with co-host Ben Higgins, the Bachelor alum, 37, opened up about her past experience in hopes of raising awareness about breast health. 

“I talked about this on the doctor conversation I had about breast cancer that I have had two breast biopsies,” she said. “This is, like, so TMI but I mentioned just about the feel of my boobs are different now after having kids than it was prior. They used to be a lot denser. But yes, that is common.”

Iaconetti first shared during an episode last week that she scheduled a checkup after feeling a lump.

“I’ve always had pretty dense breasts. There was one spot where it was particularly, it was a lump,” she said at the time. “I got a mammogram at 22 and an ultrasound and they biopsied it.”

The Bachelor in Paradise star said she’s healthy, but the scare put in perspective the importance of staying on top of self checks and routine screenings.

“I do play with my boobs enough that I would feel them,” she told Higgins. “I think I would notice because of that sort of habit and especially now with the texture or consistency, I would absolutely. I should have more intentional checks.”

Higgins then praised Iaconetti for being vulnerable and going public with her past health scare as more young women are receiving cancer diagnoses.

“It’s something to talk about,” he said. “We’re thinking about Katie. Goodness gracious, her life has taken such a turn.”

Higgins was referring to Katie Thurston’s recent breast cancer diagnosis. The 34-year-old — who was a contestant on season 25 of The Bachelor and the star of The Bachelorette’s 17th season — announced her diagnosis on Feb. 15 in an emotional Instagram post.

“This first step of acceptance of my reality was the hardest. But I am ready to fight this,” Thurston said at the time.

Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the United States, and mammograms are vital for early detection.

In May 2023, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for screening for breast cancer after an increase in younger diagnoses. The task force stated that science now shows all women should start getting screened every other year at age 40, which could result in 19% more lives being saved.

In addition to staying on top of routine screenings, health officials advise women of all ages to practice “breast self-awareness,” which means becoming familiar with how a person’s own breasts normally look and feel, so they will be more likely to recognize anything out of the ordinary when doing a breast self-examination.