About 20-30% of women will develop fibroids. By the time women reach their 50s, a whopping 80 out 100 women will develop fibroids. Fibroids or uterine leiomyomata, are growths or tumors made up of muscle cells and other tissues that grow within the wall of the uterus. They can also grow on the inside or on the outside of the uterus. Fibroids are sometimes called tumors but are mostly benign or non-cancerous. Fibroids can vary in size; they can be small like a pea or as large as a small melon. Many women do not even know they have them.

Women who are in childbearing age can develop fibroids. It has been shown that African-American women have a higher risk of developing fibroids. They also tend to get fibroids at an earlier age than other ethnic groups. There is a slightly higher risk for women to develop fibroids if they are overweight; however, if you have had a child, you risk may be lower.

Fibroids often do not cause any symptoms, and that is why most women do not know they have them. Symptoms can also be mild, such as a heavier period. The fibroids may be large enough to press on organs, and then they may start interfering with your life. Symptoms then may include a long gushing period and a lot of cramping. Sometimes women feel a sense of fullness in their belly. They can get low back pain and pain during sex. Sometimes they get an urge to urinate often.

If you have fibroids and get heavy bleeding during your period, then it could lead anemia. Anemia results from a lack of iron in your blood. Suffering from anemia can also make you weak and tired. Sometimes, having fibroids may make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. They may also cause problems during pregnancy, such as a miscarriage or premature labor.

Doctors do not know for sure what causes fibroids. There are some theories, but researchers think it may be a result of many factors interacting with each other. The factors could be hormonal, genetic, environmental or maybe a combination of all three factors. Since they do not know what causes the fibroids, they also do not know how they grow or shrink. Most of the time the fibroids shrink after menopause, but not all the time.

Fibroids are usually diagnosed after taking a history of complaints from the patient and then doing a pelvic exam. The doctor may measure the size of your uterus. They may say you have a uterus the size of a 12-week pregnancy. An ultrasound may also be performed. Some doctors request a CT scans or a MRI. The doctor may also need some bloodwork to be done to check for anemia.

Treatments for fibroids vary. If the fibroids are not bothering you, then you do not need any treatment. You will be checked at your regular visits to see if they had gotten bigger or smaller. If the symptoms are bothersome, then you may want to think about surgery. You will have time to think about your options since fibroids grow slowly.