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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during your childbearing years. Also called fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas, uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.
As many as 3 out of 4 women have uterine fibroids sometime during their lives, but most are unaware of them because they often cause no symptoms. Your doctor may discover them incidentally during a pelvic exam or prenatal ultrasound.
In general, uterine fibroids cause no problems and seldom require treatment. Medical therapy and surgical procedures can shrink or remove fibroids if you have discomfort or troublesome symptoms. Rarely, fibroids can require emergency treatment if they cause sudden, sharp pelvic pain or profuse menstrual bleeding.
- Haney AF. Leiomyomata. In: Gibb RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:916.
- Baird DD, et al. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: Ultrasound evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2003;188:100.
- Stewart EA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and natural history of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 22, 2009.
- The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Alternatives to hysterectomy in the management of leiomyomas. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2008;112:387.
- Evans P, et al. Uterine fibroid tumors: Diagnosis and treatment. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1503.
- Uterine fibroids: Frequently asked questions. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://womenshealth.gov/faq/uterine-fibroids.cfm. Accessed April 22, 2009.
- Uterine fibroids. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp074.cfm. Accessed April 22, 2009.
- Stewart EA. Pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 22, 2009.
- Management of uterine fibroids: An update of the evidence. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/uterupdate/uterup.pdf. Accessed April 29, 2009.
- Stewart EA. Overview of treatment of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 22, 2009.
- Marshall LM, et al. A prospective study of reproductive factors and oral contraceptive use in relation to the risk of uterine leiomyomata. Fertility and Sterility. 1998;70:432.
- Faerstein E, et al. Risk factors for uterine leiomyoma: A practice-based case control study. I. African-American heritage, reproductive history, body size, and smoking. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001;153:1.
- Chiaffarino F, et al. Use of oral contraceptives and uterine fibroids: Results from a case-control study. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 1999;106:857.
- Stewart EA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 13, 2009.
