13/01/2022
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are growths in your uterus. Between 60 and 80 percent of women have or have had fibroids. They’re also called:
benign tumors
uterine leiomyomas
myomas
While fibroids aren’t cancerous or life-threatening, they can sometimes cause health problems.
Fibroids range in size to as small as a seed to larger than a grapefruit. You can have one fibroid or multiple growths.
You may not have any symptoms at all. Most women don’t know they have this condition.
Signs and symptoms depend on the size, location, and number of fibroids. You may experience:
periods that last longer than a week
heavy menstrual bleeding
spotting or bleeding between periods
pelvic pressure or pain
backache or leg pain
frequent urination
difficulty emptying your bladder
constipation
difficulty getting pregnant
You may be at higher risk for fibroids if you:
are between the ages of 30 and 50
are overweight or obese
are African-American, as fibroids are two to three times more common in African-American women
have family history of fibroids
began menstruation before the age of 10
use certain kinds of birth control
have a poor diet
consume alcohol
Types of fibroids
Fibroids can grow in any part of your uterus. They are named by where they grow:
intramural fibroids grow inside the uterus walls
submucosal fibroids grow into the hollow cavity of your uterus
subserosal fibroids grow out of the surface of your uterus
