Why do women get uterine fibroids?
No one knows for sure what causes uterine fibroids, but changing estrogen levels seem to play a part in their growth. When your estrogen levels are high — as a result of pregnancy, for example — your fibroids grow more. As you approach menopause and your estrogen levels decrease, your fibroids shrink or almost disappear.
About one quarter of women of childbearing age have uterine fibroids — most commonly 30- to 50-year-olds. A few small studies have found that smokers, athletes, and women who've delivered two or more babies vaginally are at a lower risk of fibroids, while those who have a family history of them are more at risk. Larger studies have revealed that African American women are up to three times more likely than European American women to develop fibroids.
It seems that continued estrogen stimulation of the uterus without the presence of progesterone hormone is one of the most important underlying risk factors for developing fibroids. Family history is another key factor. There is often a history of fibroids developing in other women of the same family. Race also appears to play a role. Women of African descent are more likely to develop fibroids than women of other races. Overall, these tumors are fairly common and occur in up to 50% of all women. Most of the time, uterine fibroids do not cause symptoms or problems and a woman with a fibroid is usually unaware of its presence. |
