Facts you should know about uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are benign (non cancerous) muscle knots of the wall of the uterus
They are the most common cause of hysterectomy in the country
2/100 women have fibroids of the uterus by age 25, and at least 1-3/10 by age 45, o one study showed that if microscopic fibroids are included uterine fibroids were found over 75% of the time in the specimen of the uterus at the time of hysterectomy. Latinas may be at risk as well.
Having been pregnant can partially protect you against ever having uterine fibroids
Women with relatives who have fibroids have double the risks of having them, one study of women under the age of 30 showed that almost a quarter of women who were black and only just over 5% of women who are white have uterine fibroids.
The heavier you are the greater likelihood that you will have fibroids
Oral contraceptive pills do not cause fibroid growth and those who have used oral contraceptives consistently have a third less chance of ever having fibroids
Oral contraceptive pills can manage pain and bleeding from fibroids, as can a progesterone IUD
High consumption of red meat increases the risks that you are going to have fibroids, green vegetables will decrease the risk of ever having uterine fibroids
If you are a big exerciser then you are less likely to have fibroids: studies set the cut off at 7 hours per week for "heavy exercise"
Neither birth control pills nor menopausal hormones will increase fibroids in the most recent studies
This is what is called a pedunculated fibroid.
Fibroids can occur in the uterine lining, the wall of the uterus or hanging off the surface. In this picture the fibroid is attached to the side of the uterus.
Fibroids can grow in pregnancy, shrink in late pregnancy, are more common in women with early puberty, and they do partially shrink in menopause