Fibroids
FAQs
What Are the Symptoms?
Not every woman who has fibroids has symptoms, so it is important to have regular health exams.
Following Are the Most Common Symptoms of Fibroids [1]:
- Menstrual period lasting longer than a week
- Heavy bleeding during periods
- Bloating or fullness in the stomach or pelvic area
- Pain in the lower stomach or pelvic area
- Constipation
- Pain with intercourse
- Reproductive issues, including infertility and miscarriages. Early labor can result from fibroids, but is rare.
What Are the Causes of Fibroids?
Fibroids' cause is unknown, but as many as three-quarters of women have them sometime during in their life [1].
Risk Factors for Fibroids Include [1]:
- Age: fibroids generally appear after in women’s 30s and 40s (fibroids usually shrink after the menopausal transition).
- Race: African American women are two to three times more likely to develop fibroids than women of other races/ethnicities.
- Family history: women with a mother or sister who had fibroids are more likely to develop fibroids.
- Obesity: women who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop fibroids than women who are at a healthy weight.
- Diet: consuming a lot of beef and pork is linked to higher fibroid risk; conversely, consuming a diet that is rich in green vegetables lowers the risk of fibroids.
- Early menstruation: women who started menstruating before age 10 are at a higher risk for fibroids than women who started menstruating after age 10.
Additional Information:
Fibroids Can Grow in Several Places [1]:
- Submucosal: tumors grow into the uterine cavity.
- Intramural: tumors grow within the wall of the uterus.
- Subserosal: tumors grow outside the walls of the uterus.
- Penducluated: tumors grow on stalks coming out from the surface of the uterus.
References:
- [1] Mayo Clinic Website, Uterine Fibroids, Rochester, MN: Mayo Clinic, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2015 from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/uterine-fibroids/basics/symptoms/con-2003790