Prevention
Black Women’s Health: Fibroids
More than 3 million cases of Fibroids are diagnosed per year, but there has been no clear link to what exactly causes Fibroids. More importantly by age 50, up to 80% of Black women have Fibroids, and researchers have been unable to pinpoint the exact cause. However, speculation about diet, exercise, and family history are pervasive.
By National Medical Association
They are not associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never de- velop into cancer. Uterine fibroids develop from the smooth muscular tissue of the uterus (myometrium). The growth patterns of uterine fibroids vary — they may grow slowly or rapidly, or they may remain the same size. Some fibroids go through growth spurts, and some may shrink on their own. Many fibroids that have been present during pregnancy shrink or disap- pear after pregnancy, as the uterus goes back to a normal size.
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ccording to the Mayo Clinic, uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years.
Fibroids range in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye, to bulky masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus. They can be single or multiple, and are most often detected by one’s gynecolo- gist in a routine exam. Further imaging (MRI, transvaginal ultrasound, etc.) is required depending on the complications that arise in the patients.
Risk Factors The National Uterine Fibroid Foundation provides a few risk factors: • African-Americans are 2-3 times more likely to present with symptomatic uter- ine fibroids and typically will do so at a younger age than the rest of the popula- tion of women with uterine fibroids.
• Average age range for fibroids to become symptomatic is 35-50.
• Obesity is associated with the presence of uterine fibroids. (Of course, which came first -- the weight or the fibroids -- is still an unanswered question.)
• Consumption of beef, red meat (other than beef), and ham has been associated with the presence of uterine fibroids.
Additionally, family history, increased ex- posure to estrogen and even pregnancy may be the cause of fibroids.
Symptoms Most fibroids cause no symptoms. But women who do have symptoms often find fibroids hard to live with (www.women-
shealth.gov) . These symptoms can include: • Heavy bleeding (which can be heavy enough to cause anemia) or painful periods
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