mom sectionmom sectionAlso called leiomyoma, fibroids are growths of tissue and nerves on the uterine lining. According to the Office of Women's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fibroids are most common in women ages 30 to 50, affecting African American women more than any other race. They are growths of muscle tissue that are benign tumors, but they can grow to be very large. Women get relief from fibroids by shrinking them using drug regimens, embolization and ultrasound surgery.
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that can develop in women of childbearing years. Their cause is unknown, but factors include genetics and hormone levels. Symptoms vary depending on the individual.
Fibroids are growths in the uterus. There are three basic types, grouped by their locations. Intramural fibroids are the most common, and grow in the uterine wall; subserosal fibroids attach to the outside of the uterus, and can sometimes be seen as a lumpy appearance on the skin. Submucosal fibroids develop on the inner lining of the uterus, and are the rarest type. Fibroids cause symptoms including heavy bleeding, abdominal pain and even infertility, but are rarely malignant. Signs of fibroid shrinkage are primarily cessation of the associated symptoms.
