The Towner January/February Issue Volume 1

HEALTH What Every Woman needs to know about FIBROIDS A uterine fibroid is a tumor that grows in the wall of the uterus (or womb). Fibroids are not cancer. Fibroids can grow as a single tumor, or there can be many of them in the uterus. They can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a grapefruit. In unusual cases they can become very large. These symptoms can include:  Heavy bleeding (which can be heavy enough to cause anemia) or painful periods  Feeling of fullness in the lower stomach area  Enlargement of the lower abdomen  Passing urine often  Pain during sex  Lower back pain  Complications during pregnancy and labor Reproductive problems, such as infertility, w hich is very rare Fibroids are common among women of childbearing age. African-American women are three times more likely to get fibroids than other women. In African-American women, fibroids also seem to occur at a younger age, grow more quickly, and are more likely to cause symptoms. Overweight and obese women also are at higher risk of fibroids. If you think you may have symptoms of Fibroids, please see your doctor. This article is by no means a diagnosis of fibroids.

The Towner January/February Issue Volume 1 | Page 15