Fibroids are benign tumours that develop from the smooth muscle cells of the womb. They are the most common tumour amongst women with an estimated 30 – 40% of women between the ages of 25-45 expected to develop them.

Research has shown that fibroids are more common in black women with an estimated 55-80% of black women affected. In addition, black women are known to develop fibroids at a younger age, are more likely to develop larger and multiple fibroids, and tend to develop more severe symptoms.  The reason for this is unknown but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.

Through our interactions with black women, we have anecdotally found that whilst fibroids are very common there seems to be a lack of information and support for women who are affected.  To explore this issue further we conducted a survey that aimed to explore the needs of women with fibroids, determine if there is a need to develop information and support and if so,  the survey aimed to inform our development of a fibroids information and support programme.

The survey explored four areas:

• The level of knowledge of fibroids prior to diagnosis
• Treatment and diagnosis
• The effect of fibroids and its treatment on quality of life
• The availability of support and information

The key findings from  our survey were:

Awareness of fibroids prior to diagnosis

• There was a general low level of awareness of fibroids amongst participants prior to their diagnosis
• There was a good level of awareness of some of the main symptoms of fibroids but a low level of awareness of other symptoms
• Participants were aware that ethnicity was a risk factor for fibroids but less aware of other risk factors

Pathway to Diagnosis

• The majority of participants delayed seeing their GP for six months or more after first noticing symptoms
• After visiting their GP, most women received a confirmed diagnosis within 4 weeks but over a quarter stated it took 12 months or more to receive a confirmed diagnosis

Treatment

• Despite 79% of participants having a discussion with their GP about treatment, 63% stated they didn’t feel they had enough information to make an informed decision about their treatment
• The majority of participants (42%) had surgery to treat their fibroids
• A quarter of respondents were very happy with their follow-up and aftercare whilst 33% stated that they were not at all satisfied.

The Effect of Fibroids and its Treatment on Quality of Life

• Participants reported that fibroids and its treatment significantly affected their quality of life, affecting them not just physically, but emotionally
• Many participants did not feel they had enough support  to assist them in managing or overcoming the  emotional, physical  and medical impact of fibroids

The Availability of Information and Support

• The biggest gaps in the availability of support were in information and peer support with a small gap in emotional support

Conclusions from the Survey and Next Steps

The survey suggests that a significant number of women with fibroids do not have access to the support and information that they require. The Lake Foundation will focus its efforts on addressing the gaps in the availability of information and support by developing a relevant support system for women, particularly black women, with fibroids.

We have started this process with the launch of our ‘Fibroids Ask the Expert’ in October. This resource provides women with the opportunity to obtain accurate reliable information from experts in the field. In 2015 we will begin to develop a range of publications and explore a support programme for women with fibroids.

We get a lot of questions from women about what they can do prevent fibroids. In this week’s blog, we’ll look at the effect of exercise on the development fibroids.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumours that develop in or around a woman’s womb. They can cause a number of symptoms including pelvic (tummy) pain, infertility, heavy and/or painful periods, back pain, anaemia, constipation, frequent urination and pain during sexual intercourse.

The exact cause of fibroids is unknown but research does suggest that fibroids are caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and hormonal factors. Those most at risk of developing fibroids are black women, those who are overweight, women of childbearing age (particularly women who are 25-45 years old), those with a family history of fibroids and women who haven’t given birth.

Exercise and Risk Reduction

When looking at these factors and trying to understand what preventative steps women can take, exercise seems like a logical factor to explore for two main reasons. Firstly, being overweight increases risk of developing fibroids so a woman can reduce her risk by maintaining a healthy weight through exercise. Secondly, fibroids are a hormonal condition with oestrogen and progesterone playing a role in their development. When we look at similar hormonal conditions that have been widely studied, such as breast and endometrial cancer, exercise has been shown to be beneficial in reducing risk. This is thought to be because exercise has a number of effects on our hormones which ultimately can lead to a reduction in the level of hormones circulating in our body and balancing of our hormones.

What Research Tells Us

A recent small study published in 2013 by Peking University in China looked into the association between physical activity and fibroids. They found that women who participated in moderately intense occupational activity (physical activity at work) had a significantly lower risk of developing fibroids.

In 2006, The National Institute of Environmental Sciences in Washington DC published the results of their research study exploring the effect of exercise on the development of fibroids. This study included 1189 women (734 black women, 455 Whites) aged 35-49. Whilst their study did have some limitations they found that women who did the most physical activity (more than 7 hours a week) were significantly less likely to develop fibroids than those who did the least amount of exercise (less than 2 hours a week). They also found that the association between exercise and fibroids was similar for both black and white women.

Finally, in 1986, the Harvard School of Public Health published their study which compared the prevalence of fibroids in former college athletes (2,622 women) to non-athletes (2,776 women). They found that the non-athletes were at a 40% greater risk of developing fibroids than their athletic counterparts.

Conclusion

Research and theory demonstrate that regular exercise is an effective way to reduce your risk of developing fibroids. By introducing as much exercise as you can into your weekly routine you can make a significant difference to your risk.

The UK’s Department of Health recommends that we do a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week; this is a good target to aim for.