Fibroids affect more than health in African Americans

Uterine fibroids can have a significant impact on the health, workplace performance and quality of life of women-particularly African-American women-according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic studied 968 women aged 29 to 59 years with self-reported symptomatic uterine leiomyomas. Five hundred seventy-three of the women were white; 268 were African American; and 127 were of some other race. Participants were assessed by national survey on their diagnosis, information-seeking, attitudes about fertility, impact on work, and treatment preferences. An X² test was used to compare age groups.   

The study authors found that women typically waited an average of 3.6 years before seeking treatment and 41% saw ≥2 health care providers to determine a diagnosis. Nearly a quarter (24%) of the respondents stated that their symptoms kept them from reaching their professional potential and 28% said that they had missed work because of leiomyoma symptoms. When asked about what treatments they wanted for the leiomyomas, 79% of the women indicated that they didn’t want invasive surgery; 51% wanted treatment that preserved the uterus; and 43% of women aged <40 years wanted to preserve their fertility. A majority of the women (60%) said that their preferred treatment choice was focused ultrasound, which requires no incisions and allows most women to return to typical activities within a few days.

The study found that African-American women were more likely to suffer severe symptoms and 32% waited more than 5 years before seeking treatment, while only 17% of white women waited as long. African-American women also expressed greater concern for future fertility and pregnancy, with 71% saying that preservation of the uterus was important, compared with 41% of white women saying the same thing.

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