Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are uterine masses that develop from a single cell reproduces over and over again. The resulting mass is rubbery looking compared to the surrounding tissue and can range in size from seedlings to large masses that can distort the uterus.

Appearing most often during your childbearing years, uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus. They are also known as fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas. Uterine fibroids almost never turn into cancer.

Approximately 75% of all women have uterine fibroids at some point in their lives. Since they typically don’t cause any symptoms, your doctor may only spot them during a pelvic exam or pelvic ultrasound. Uterine fibroids rarely require treatment.

In some cases, uterine fibroids can cause excessive menstrual bleeding or pelvic pain. If there is discomfort, drug therapy or surgical procedures can shrink or remove the fibroids.

There is no known cause for uterine fibroids, but researchers believe it could caused by genetic alterations in the genes that code the uterine muscles or the presence of more estrogen and estrogen receptors than normal muscle cells.

While there is no known cause, there are risk factors that can increase the chance that you could develop uterine fibroids:

• Heredity: If female members of your family had uterine fibroids, you have a greater chance of developing them too.
• Race: Among racial groups, women of African decent have a greater chance of developing uterine fibroids, especially at a younger age.