We don't know why some women are prone to uterine fibroids. As with many health issues, there seems to be a genetic disposition toward them in some women. Many health care practitioners feel that diet and hormones play roles in the formation of uterine fibroids and how rapidly they grow.
Uterine fibroids are benign growths that are usually found in the muscular wall of the uterus.
Although these growths can cause heavier periods and pressure on the bowels, they are very rarely cancerous. Women with fibroids may or may not experience any outer symptoms, so fibroids are often detected only during a routine pelvic exam. When I feel a pelvic mass during an exam, I always recommend an ultrasound so that the woman can be sure that what I'm feeling is a fibroid and nothing more. It is natural to wonder, if these growths are not really harmful, why we are concerned about them at all. Although some women can have fibroids for years without any symptoms, fibroids are still the primary reason for hysterectomies, or removal of the uterus, when the growths become too large.