Understanding Fibroids: What Black Women Need to Know

An article about black women who have fibroids and want to know more about the condition.

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified medical professional and this is strictly based on experience and this is written to educate readers. Read with caution.

A pensive black patient discussing diagnosis with white male doctor. Photo by Klaus Nielsen from Pexels.

This is a silent condition because I have noticed that we don’t talk about fibroids in the black community, it’s not a topic that is spoken about openly. And this could be related to the stigma that is attached to mental health conditions.

Fibroids requires more attention and I’m hoping that this article can spark deep conversations between black women. This condition affects black women at a higher rate globally. I was gobsmacked when I discovered the statistics of black women having fibroids in comparison to white women who have fibroids.

Also, I was diagnosed with the condition 2 years ago and according to my last appointment, it is small(I hope it stays small because they shouldn’t be living on my uterus, it’s disrespectful).

An illustration of the female anatomy showing fibroids on the uterus. Photo by Antusenok Tanya.

What are Fibroids?

According to the NHS, “fibroids are non-cancerous lumps which can grow in various sizes in and around the uterus”. Some women may experience stronger symptoms of fibroids compared to some women who have fibroids and don’t experience symptoms.

A black woman sat on her bed feeling stomach painin the morning. Photo by Prostock-studio.

Racial Disparities in Health

As mentioned by the Huffington Post, it has been estimated that “nearly 25% of black women from the ages of 18 to 30 have been treated with fibroids.” Fortunately this condition is not cancerous, however this can have a more severe impact on black women especially when it comes to the dismissal of black women’s pain which is too common in the healthcare industry.

An article by the University College London argued that “racism and discrimination contributes to health issues globally.” A famous example would be the late Dr.Sims, a white gynaecologist who experimented and performed painful surgeries on enslaved black women during slavery in the USA.

This is a powerful example because it’s ruthless cases like Dr.Sims that can contribute to the perception of black women regarding how black women may be treated in healthcare.

This is evident by the high maternal mortality rates of black women because white health workers are more likely to not believe our pain, more likely to ignore our health issues and may not take things seriously and this could lead to worse outcomes.

What causes Fibroids?

A recent study by the Black Women’s Health Imperative estimated that “80% of black women are more likely to be diagnosed with fibroids by the time they are 50 years old compared to 70% of white women.” There are no known reasons as to why fibroids emerge in the uterus, however there have been studies that have suggested common factors.

Red Rose in a Menstrual Cup. Photo by the Valeriia Miller Collection.

Early menstruation

As mentioned in the National Library of Medicine, if a woman got her period at a young age, it could mean that she may develop fibroids. This is interesting because this factor has been mentioned in a few studies so this may mean that it could be a contributing cause.

Race

Similarly, the British Journal of Obstretics and Gynaecology stated that race plays a role and “remained a consistent factor against the different factors.” Black women are “2 to 3 times” more likely which shows that we need to be more aware of our reproductive health.

Demographics

Another factor is family history and whether family history contributes to the diagnois of fibroids. This article summarised that family history may contribute to the diagnosis of the condition in black women.

This factor is essential because this article implies that genetics could be one of the many reasons it’s so prevalent in blakc women. Also, learning about the condition will allow us to look at the different ways we can manage our health and to raise awareness about this condition.

What are the signs of the condition?

• Heavy periods
• Lower back pain
• Fatigue
• A frequent need to pee

I hope this issue will be discussed and that more awareness can be done to highlight the epidemic of fibroids in black women because we deal with too many things and this is one of the things that should not stand in our way of healing, growing and thriving.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and that this quick overview of fibroids helped you understand the topic in more detail. Share this post with other black women and let me know your thoughts and experiences about this topic.