For More Information Links Information About Your Fibroids Uterine fibroids are the most common tumors of the female genital tract. Fibroids are the most common reason for a woman to have a hysterectomy in this country, totaling approximately 200,000 hysterectomies each year. In addition, many patients suffer symptoms from fibroids but never undergo a hysterectomy.
Fibroids are benign tumors of uterine smooth muscle.
They are also called leiomyomas or myomas. Some fibroids grow on a stalk and these are called pedunculated. Abnormal bleeding is usually caused by submucosal or intramural fibroids. Intramural and subserosal fibroids are the usual cause of pelvic pain, back pain, and the generalized pelvic pressure that many patients experience. African-Americans are up to 3 times more likely to develop fibroids as Caucasians, and the reason for this increased risk is not clearly understood, although genetic variability is presumed to be a contributory factor.