Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that can develop in and on the uterus and affect women of all races, impacting their quality of life, causing heavy bleeding, and causing pelvic pain, and they can even affecting their fertility.
The team of experts at the Atlanta Fibroid Center also knows that fibroids affect Black women more often and at a younger age than women from other ethnic groups. Dr. John Lipman has dedicated his life’s work to helping women learn about their options for fibroid treatment and to helping them avoid hysterectomy surgery.
Black Women Can Find Expert Fibroid Care at the Atlanta Fibroid Center
Dr. John Lipman and his team specialize in uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a non-surgical, minimally invasive alternative to hysterectomy. UFE is safe and 90% effective for eliminating fibroids and their symptoms. It works by cutting off the blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink and die. This helps relieve symptoms so your schedule, comfort, and quality of life are no longer controlled by fibroids.
Black History Month is a time to reflect on the experiences that shape health and wellness in the Black community. For many Black women, fibroids are a part of that story, and Dr. John Lipman and his team at the Atlanta Fibroid Center believe that raising awareness about fibroids and offering UFE as a safe, effective, uterus-preserving treatment helps close a much-needed gap in care for Black women’s health.
Why Choose Us
- Dr. Lipman is one of the world’s leading experts in UFE and has performed thousands of successful procedures.
- We help you preserve your uterus and fertility options.
- Our team of experts will perform your UFE procedure with your comfort and safety as a priority, and you can go home the same day to begin your short recovery.
- We offer expert care in a comfortable, relaxed environment and offer ongoing support from a compassionate and understanding team of experts who care.
- We are committed to helping Black women and all patients find relief from their symptoms without unnecessary surgery.
Why Black Women Should Understand Fibroids
It may be surprising to those who are wondering if fibroids are more common in Black women that research shows that the answer is yes. Black women are about two to three times more likely to develop uterine fibroids compared to any other group of women, and they often develop earlier in life and cause more serious symptoms. Women who seek treatment for fibroid symptoms are often advised that their only form of treatment is surgery.
Research shows that Black women are more likely to:
- Develop fibroids at younger ages, often in their childbearing years of the 20s and 30s.
- Have larger fibroids or multiple fibroids at the time of their diagnosis.
- Experience heavier bleeding, pelvic pain, and other more severe symptoms.
- Be referred for surgical treatment, including myomectomy or hysterectomy. Since fibroids often develop at younger ages and tend to be more severe in Black women, many women in their 30s and 40s find themselves facing major surgery or loss of fertility earlier in life.
Each year, over 600,000 hysterectomies are performed, and uterine fibroids are the most common reason women undergo this surgery. Included in that number are a staggering number of young Black women in their 20s and 30s, so it is important that Black women understand fibroids and all of their treatment options so they can seek treatment as early as possible.
Why Do Black Women Get Fibroids More Often?
Researchers and experts have not found one definitive reason why Black women experience fibroids more often or at younger ages, but studies have identified some circumstances that may help explain why they are more likely to develop fibroids, including:
Genetics
Black women may have genetic variations and hormone sensitivities that make fibroid growth more likely. A large NIH study reported that genetic traits linked to certain African ancestry were tied to fibroid risk, while ancestry from other regions seemed to be less affected.
Research has also found that many genes that are linked to uterine fibroids behave differently in people of African ancestry, which can affect how cells grow, how the body responds to hormones, and how uterine tissue can gradually experience changes.
Vitamin D Levels
Multiple research studies have found a strong link between vitamin D levels and fibroids. Women who have sufficient levels of vitamin D in their bodies may be less likely to develop fibroids, and the vitamin D helps slow the growth of fibroid cells, which can make it harder for fibroids to develop or grow large. The best source of vitamin D is the sun, so a deficiency is more common in people with darker skin because melanin reduces the skin’s ability to make vitamin D from the sunlight. Low vitamin D levels may be linked to the development of numerous and larger fibroids.
Health & Lifestyle
Fibroids respond to estrogen exposure and often grow larger, and fat cells produce estrogen, so being overweight elevates the risk for developing fibroids. Higher rates of obesity, early onset of menstrual cycles, stress, and limited access to healthy, nutritious food can all contribute to fibroid risk, and unfortunately, these conditions are more common in Black communities due to long-standing inequalities.
Beauty Products
Many beauty and personal care products contain ingredients that have proven to be endocrine disrupters that interfere with natural estrogen levels. We know that fibroids thrive in an estrogen-rich environment, so using products that contain these ingredients increases the risk of developing fibroids or of existing fibroids becoming larger.
One product that is used more often by Black women than any other group of women is hair relaxers. Research reported in the Black Women’s Health Study found that women who used hair relaxers were more likely to develop fibroids than those who never used them. The level of risk increased the more often hair relaxers were used, and even higher for women with a history of scalp burns, which may allow these disruptive chemicals to enter the body more easily.
Access to Care and Delayed Treatment
A recent report revealed that women in the U.S. often wait years to seek treatment for their fibroids, and Black women in particular reported living with fibroid symptoms for around 5 years before getting help. This delay in care can allow fibroids to grow larger and symptoms to get worse before treatment begins. By the time they see their OB/GYN, the doctor only offers them surgical options for treatment.
There is also a significant history of Black women’s pain being minimized in medical settings, and their heavy bleeding and pelvic pain could be brushed off as normal, delaying the testing and diagnosis they need and deserve. When their symptoms are not taken seriously from the start, their fibroids can grow larger and get worse before they are offered treatment. Limited access to specialists who are experts in fibroid care can leave fewer choices for treatment and push women toward surgery.
What Are the Common Symptoms of Fibroids?
Black women with fibroids may experience symptoms, like
- Heavy periods that last much longer than normal.
- Pressure or pain in their pelvic area.
- Frequent urination
- Constipation
- Pain during sex
- The inability to conceive, miscarriage, or other fertility issues.
- Anemia from blood loss
Even if your symptoms are mild, they can gradually become worse, and they may be causing issues that you are not aware of. Getting help sooner rather than later can make a significant difference.
Why Do Women Wait So Long to Get Help with Fibroids?
Fibroid treatment is often delayed because heavy periods and painful cycles have long been brushed off and treated as something women are expected to live with. Menstruation has always been a topic that is rarely talked about openly, even among family.
Many young women who start having heavy bleeding, strong cramps, or pelvic pain assume it is normal because that is what they have always been told, or because the women in their family went through the same thing.
When mothers and grandmothers were never taught what a healthy period should look like, they may not realize anything is wrong either. As a result, symptoms are just tolerated, conversations never happen, and many women suffer in silence for years, believing this is just part of being a female.
FAQs
Can Fibroids Affect a Pregnancy Even if I Am Not Trying to Conceive Right Now?
Yes, fibroids can affect fertility and a pregnancy even before you are actually trying to conceive. Depending on their size and where they are located, fibroids can change the shape of your uterus, interfere with implantation of the embryo, or increase the risk of miscarriage and complications during pregnancy. Seeking non-invasive treatment for fibroids early can help protect your options for future fertility.
How Do I Know if My Period Is Heavier than Normal?
Many women assume heavy periods are normal because they have always lived with them. Signs that bleeding may not be normal include soaking through pads or tampons every one to two hours, bleeding that lasts longer than seven days, passing large blood clots, or feeling extremely tired and weak from blood loss. If your period controls your schedule or affects your daily life, it is a sign that something may be wrong, and you should have it checked out.
My Mom and Grandmother Both Had Issues with Fibroids. Does that Mean I Will Have Issues as Well?
Maybe. Fibroids do tend to run in families, so having a mother or grandmother who had fibroids can increase your chances of developing them, but it is not certain.
There are many things that are linked to fibroid development, like your diet and lifestyle, hormone levels, vitamin D deficiency, and your weight, etc. Having a family history is a good reason to pay attention to your menstrual cycle, take note of severe symptoms like heavy bleeding that lasts a long time, or pelvic pain, and talk with your doctor about your symptoms early on, instead of waiting for years and tolerating debilitating symptoms. If you feel like your doctor is not taking you seriously, get a second opinion.
You deserve quality care and a place to be heard and understood. Set up your consultation with the Atlanta Fibroid Center today, and look forward to a fibroid-free tomorrow.
