What You Need to Know About Uterine Fibroids
Get the facts about this common condition
Feb 04, 2022
Nov 09, 2022
Created With SupportAlex Fulton has been working in the wellness field for more than 20 years. She has written extensively about integrative medicine, herbalism, supplements and other topics related to holistic health. Alex also focuses on issues related to women's health, from menstruation to menopause. She has collaborated with physicians, midwives and functional medicine practitioners to promote natural approaches to health care for women. She has a BA in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Get the facts about this common condition
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mary Jane Minkin
Design by Megan Schofield
An estimated 20% to 50% of women of reproductive age currently have fibroids, and up to 77% of women will develop fibroids sometime during their childbearing years.
What are fibroids?
Types of fibroids
Fibroid symptoms
Symptoms can range from none to severe, and they can include:
Many women with fibroids have no symptoms.
Risk factors for fibroids include:
Age
A woman’s risk of developing fibroids increases in her 30s through menopause. After menopause, fibroids tend to shrink.
Family history
Your chance of developing fibroids is 3x higher than average if your mother has/had them.
The risk of developing fibroids for women with obesity is 2-3x times higher than average.
Ethnicity
Black women are more likely than white women to develop fibroids.
Fibroids and family planning
Treating fibroids
Women who have small fibroids or no symptoms may not need treatment. For those that do, options include:
This resource was created with support from Myovant Sciences.