Understanding Uterine Fibroids; Diagnosis, Treatment, and Options
Why do I have fibroids and what can I do about them?
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are benign noncancerous tumors affecting women. Fibroids, also called leiomyomas, are made of muscle cells forming into balls and bumps that grow in the uterus. Up to 80% of women will develop one or more uterine fibroids during their lifetime.¹
Many women are unaware they have fibroids, and sometimes doctors accidentally discover fibroids during a routine pelvic or pregnancy ultrasound.
Uterine fibroids behave in strange ways. They may grow slowly or quickly, or they may simply stay the same size throughout a woman’s life. Some will develop more fibroids while other women will not.
Why do we get uterine fibroids?
We do not know exactly why some women get fibroids, and others do not. Genetics and family history play a role. Having a family member with fibroids increases the risk. Fibroids are most common in African-American women affecting up to 50%.
Two female hormones, Estrogen and Progesterone, affect fibroids. Fibroids tend to shrink when the production of these hormones stops after menopause.
