M.D. If your doctor has told you that you have fibroids, you're in good company. About one-quarter of women over age 35 are bothered by them. Some health professionals estimate that the true prevalence is 70 percent by the time a woman reaches menopause, but most women aren't aware of them. For unknown reasons, African-American women suffer from fibroids in even higher numbers than Caucasians.
Fibroids are a growth in the uterus, the normally fist-sized organ in which babies develop.
Also known by the names myomas, fibromyomas, myofibromas and leiomyomas, they are not a form of cancer. Fibroid growth is believed to be promoted by estrogen, the hormone that rises to high levels as a part of each monthly menstrual cycle. Fibroids can grow within the muscular wall of the uterus, or in the outer or inner layers. They may be large or small, and may be firmly embedded to the uterus or attached by a small stalk. With all this variation, it is not surprising that they cause a wide range of symptoms and problems.