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Hormone Treatments for Uterine Conditions
Read More: Hormone Treatments for Uterine ConditionsWilliam Shakespeare clearly had uterus on the mind when he wrote, “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” Your uterus is small — about the size of a clenched fist — but it’s a powerful organ that wears many hats. From protecting human life to regulating menstrual cycles, the uterus is important to reproductive…
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15 Minutes With: Sateria Venable Talks Fibroids, Fertility and Fighting for a Cure
Read More: 15 Minutes With: Sateria Venable Talks Fibroids, Fertility and Fighting for a CurePainful periods. Flood-like flows. Uterine growths the size of a melon. We know this sounds like a bad premenstrual dream, but these are just a few of the life-altering symptoms associated with uterine fibroids. Sateria Venable knows firsthand how disruptive fibroids can be. Before she was founder and CEO of The Fibroid Foundation, Venable was…
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True or False: Uterine Fibroids
Read More: True or False: Uterine FibroidsJuly is Fibroid Awareness Month. Fibroids can be life-changing — and not in a good way. Up to 8 out of 10 women develop fibroids by the time they turn 50, and that can mean debilitating cramps and soak-through-your-good-leggings bleeding during your period. Research is ongoing as to why women and people assigned female at…
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There’s Nothing Normal About Uterine Fibroids
Read More: There’s Nothing Normal About Uterine FibroidsAs told to Shannon Shelton Miller July is Fibroid Awareness Month. For too long, I was told my painful period cramps and heavy bleeding were normal. As a teenager, I was put on iron supplements, which should have been a sign I was bleeding too much. But growing up in Mississippi in the 1980s and…
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Managing Uterine Health Conditions at Work
Read More: Managing Uterine Health Conditions at Work+ Infographic text 1 in 4 people who menstruate in the U.S. deal with period problems so bad they affect quality of life — including at work. Many of them are dealing with uterine health conditions, such as: Fibroids, non-cancerous growths in the muscle wall of the uterus, affect about 8 in 10 women at…
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How Uterine Conditions Can Affect Your Sex Life
Read More: How Uterine Conditions Can Affect Your Sex LifeLiving with severe endometriosis made it hard for Annabelle Baugh, who uses they/them pronouns, to feel pleasure during sex. Afterward, they were nauseous, bloated, tired and in pain. It wasn’t until Baugh turned 43 that they learned they were at high risk for ovarian cancer. After getting a hysterectomy and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they…
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Surgical Options for Fibroids
Read More: Surgical Options for FibroidsMedically reviewed by Sandra Laveaux, M.D., MPH + Infographic text Up to 80% of women may develop uterine fibroids by the time they turn 50. For some women with fibroids, the symptoms — including heavy periods and painful cramps — will seriously affect their quality of life. People living with uterine fibroids have many choices…
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Focus on Fibroids
Read More: Focus on FibroidsWe spoke with Soyini Hawkins, M.D., a doctor living who is living with fibroids herself, and patient advocate Candy Ramirez-Hale, R.N., to raise awareness, get the scoop on what it’s like to live with fibroids, and explore how disparities affect care, diagnosis and treatment. Watch these videos to see what they had to say. Part…
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Clinically Speaking: What Are the Surgical Treatments for Fibroids?
Read More: Clinically Speaking: What Are the Surgical Treatments for Fibroids?Español Uterine fibroids are so common that 8 out of 10 women will develop them before they reach age 50. These non-cancerous growths generally aren’t considered dangerous and some fibroids cause no symptoms at all. But depending on their size, place and number, fibroids can cause complications or symptoms such as pelvic pain, bladder issues…
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Conversación sobre la salud: ¿Qué son los tratamientos quirúrgicos para fibromas?
Read More: Conversación sobre la salud: ¿Qué son los tratamientos quirúrgicos para fibromas?Los fibromas uterinos son tan frecuentes que 8 de cada 10 mujeres los tendrán antes de cumplir 50 años. Estas protuberancias no cancerosas generalmente no se consideran peligrosas y algunos fibromas no causan síntomas. Pero dependiendo de su tamaño, lugar y cantidad, los fibromas pueden causar complicaciones o síntomas tales como dolor pélvico, problemas de…
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Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About OB-GYN Robotic-Assisted Surgery
Read More: Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About OB-GYN Robotic-Assisted SurgeryAbout 1 in 4 surgeries in women in the United States involve obstetric-gynecologic (OB-GYN) procedures. That means you might find yourself needing to have one of these surgeries at some point in your life. But did you know some of them are done using robotics? More than 876,000 robotic-assisted surgeries were performed in the U.S.…
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Doctors Told Me It Was Just Perimenopause. It Turned Out To Be Uterine Fibroids.
Read More: Doctors Told Me It Was Just Perimenopause. It Turned Out To Be Uterine Fibroids.As told to Nicole Audrey Spector July is Fibroids Awareness month. I was on birth control pills for most of my adult life, and in my early 40s, I had my tubes tied to prevent pregnancy. After the surgery, which is called a tubal ligation, I began having extremely heavy and painful periods. They were…
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Fibroids Are a Whole Person Issue
Read More: Fibroids Are a Whole Person IssueThis webinar was created with financial support from Intuitive, Myovant Sciences GmbH and Pfizer.
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Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Is a Treatment Option for Fibroids
Read More: Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) Is a Treatment Option for FibroidsMedically reviewed by Linda Bradley, M.D. + Infographic text What are uterine fibroids? Uterine fibroids are benign growths of the uterus. Fibroids can be found: Bulging from the inside of the uterus (submucous) In the muscle wall of the uterus (myometrial) Extending outside of the uterus (serous) About 8 in 10 women will have fibroids…
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En qué forma afectan los fibromas todos los aspectos de una persona
Read More: En qué forma afectan los fibromas todos los aspectos de una personaTomeka Roberts, M.D., hizo la revisión médica de este documento. + Infographic text Los fibromas uterinos ocurren frecuentemente. La mayoría de mujeres tienen al menos un fibroma en algún momento, pero las mujeres de raza negra tienen el índice más alto. 7 de cada 10 mujeres de raza blanca y 8 de cada 10 mujeres…
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Comic: Annie Has Anemia
Read More: Comic: Annie Has Anemia+ Comic text Annie is teaching in a classroom with elementary school kids. There is a chalkboard with a container of chalk with the chalk sticking out of it. Annie is eyeing the chalk Annie: Why do I suddenly feel like eating that chalk? Annie is walking home and looks at dirt next to the…
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How Fibroids Impact the Whole Person
Read More: How Fibroids Impact the Whole PersonMedically reviewed by Tomeka Roberts, M.D. + Infographic text Uterine fibroids are common. Most women will have at least one fibroid at some point, but Black women have the highest rate. 7 out of 10 white women and 8 out of 10 Black women have fibroids by age 50. There can be just one fibroid…
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Q&A: A Patient’s Perspective on Experiencing Uterine Health Conditions
Read More: Q&A: A Patient’s Perspective on Experiencing Uterine Health ConditionsWhen it comes to uterine health, Heather Guidone has a unique perspective. She’s a board-certified patient advocate (BCPA) and the program director at the Center for Endometriosis Care, which works on research and policy reform to help remove barriers to healthcare access for patients. And she also has endometriosis. Her passion for helping people with…
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Q&A: A Healthcare Provider’s Perspective on Diagnosing Uterine Health Conditions
Read More: Q&A: A Healthcare Provider’s Perspective on Diagnosing Uterine Health ConditionsOne in four women in the United States deal with period pain so severe it affects their quality of life, but figuring out why can be a huge challenge. Take endometriosis, a condition that causes painful, heavy periods and is linked to infertility and other health problems. The average woman with endometriosis waits almost nine…
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How Fibroids Can Affect Your Fertility
Read More: How Fibroids Can Affect Your FertilityA doctor first informed Alison C., now in her 30s, that she noticed an abnormality during a routine GYN exam when Alison was 23 years old. Although the doctor mentioned that Alison might consider having surgery when she was ready to have children, it wasn’t until a few years later that Alison realized something was…
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How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have Fibroids
Read More: How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have FibroidsUterine fibroids are so common that more than three out of four women will develop them at some point during their lifetimes. Fibroids don’t always cause symptoms, but in one-quarter to one-half of cases, they do. Fibroids can cause heavy and long-lasting periods, pain in the pelvic floor and pain during sex, frequent urination, constipation,…
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Access, Access to health care, Birth control, Birth control pills, Contraception, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Menopause, Pcos, Uterine cancer
Why Access to Contraception Matters for Women of All Ages
Read More: Why Access to Contraception Matters for Women of All AgesKelsie Williams grew up in rural Kentucky, where accessing contraception was — and still is — a struggle. “The more rural regions are really short-staffed and they’re low on specialists who provide reproductive healthcare,” Williams explained. “I still hear from friends and family who have to take time off for work to drive long distances.…
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Living with Fibroids Videos
Read More: Living with Fibroids VideosTelemedicine: A Great Option for the Management and Evaluation of Uterine Fibroids With Dr. Ruth Arumala, Fibroid Specialist Tips on Making the Best out of Your Visit With Your Healthcare Provider With Dr. Ruth Arumala, Fibroid Specialist Know the Symptoms of Fibroids: Be Your Own Health Advocate With Dr. Erica Montes What a Healthcare Provider’s…
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Ask the Expert: What Causes Painful Periods?
Read More: Ask the Expert: What Causes Painful Periods?If you don’t like to say the words “painful periods,” you can just say “dysmenorrhea”— it will sound better, perhaps, but you’ll still be uncomfortable. So let’s talk about what’s causing the pain and how you can make it better. Let’s first discuss the difference between primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is sort…
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Endometriosis, Fibroids, Menstrual period, Period, Reproductive health, Sex & relationships, Sexual health
Period Stigma & Health Risks
Read More: Period Stigma & Health RisksSix years ago, Nkem Osian noticed a dramatic change in her period. She began bleeding for two weeks at a time and producing painful clots the size of her fist. There was bleeding between periods and the amount of blood overall was unnerving: Osian was going through two pads an hour and sometimes bleeding through…
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Heavy Uterine Bleeding and Iron Deficiency Anemia Can Affect Mental Health, Relationships and Sexual Health
Read More: Heavy Uterine Bleeding and Iron Deficiency Anemia Can Affect Mental Health, Relationships and Sexual HealthCarmen Davis knows the pain and frustration of heavy uterine bleeding (HUB) too well: Crippling cramps, constant back pain and obsessive bathroom breaks take a toll on her body and her brain. “The constant worry of bleeding through your clothing plays on your emotions for sure,” said Davis, who began experiencing HUB about a year…
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Clinically Speaking: Talking to Patients About Uterine Fibroids
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Talking to Patients About Uterine FibroidsThis article was developed in partnership with The White Dress Project. Medically reviewed by Dr. Kristen A. Matteson Uterine fibroids are the most common gynecological condition among women of reproductive age. By the time they turn 50, up to 80% of all women will have developed fibroids, with 20% of those women experiencing symptoms that…
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Clinically Speaking: What Are My Options Following a Fibroid Diagnosis?
Read More: Clinically Speaking: What Are My Options Following a Fibroid Diagnosis?This article was developed in partnership with The White Dress Project. Medically reviewed by Dr. Kristen A. Matteson Uterine fibroids are the most common gynecological condition among women of reproductive age. By the time they turn 50, up to 80% of all women will have experienced fibroids, which are noncancerous (benign) growths that develop in…
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Clinically Speaking: What to Ask Your Healthcare Provider If You Think You Have Uterine Fibroids
Read More: Clinically Speaking: What to Ask Your Healthcare Provider If You Think You Have Uterine FibroidsThis article was developed in partnership with The White Dress Project. Medically reviewed by Dr. Kristen A. Matteson Uterine fibroids are the most common gynecological condition among women of reproductive age. By the time they turn 50, up to 80% of all women will have experienced fibroids, which are noncancerous (benign) growths that develop in…
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Clinically Speaking: Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About Periods
Read More: Clinically Speaking: Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About PeriodsMedically reviewed by Dr. Jessica Shepherd Half the world’s population get a period, but the stigma surrounding menstruation leaves many people feeling too ashamed or uncomfortable to talk freely about periods. As a result, symptoms like heavy bleeding may go undiscussed and undiagnosed, potentially causing serious health problems. How can we know what’s “normal” if…
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Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Hysterectomy, Iron deficiency anemia, Menstrual period, Pelvic health, Pelvic pain, Period, Prevention, Preventive health, Real women real stories
My Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Led to Iron-Deficiency Anemia and Disrupted My Career, but I Took My Life Back
Read More: My Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Led to Iron-Deficiency Anemia and Disrupted My Career, but I Took My Life BackI always knew I had a family history of fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding. My grandmother and aunt both needed hysterectomies in their mid-30s, and my mother had one at age 40. But because I didn’t experience symptoms as early as my family members, I thought I’d escaped the odds. My heavy bleeding started when…
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Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Pelvic health, Pelvic pain, Real women real stories
I Thought My Heavy Bleeding Was Normal — Until It Almost Killed Me
Read More: I Thought My Heavy Bleeding Was Normal — Until It Almost Killed MeAs told to Diana Whitney About five years ago, my period changed drastically. I started having heavy bleeding, so heavy I had to change my pads every 30 minutes. I would bleed for two weeks or longer, then bleed in between cycles. I also had terrible clotting — the clots were huge, bigger than my…
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cancer, Estrogen, Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Menstrual period, Pelvic health, Progesterone
Iron Deficiency Anemia and Heavy Periods: What’s the Connection?
Read More: Iron Deficiency Anemia and Heavy Periods: What’s the Connection?Medically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia Weakness, headaches, even feeling out of breath. These symptoms are common, but they may point to a larger problem: iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Although IDA is sometimes linked to insufficient iron intake or poor nutrient absorption, it is most often caused by blood loss, including from heavy menstrual periods.…
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cancer, Estrogen, Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Menstrual period, Pelvic health, Period, Progesterone
Why It’s Important to Speak Up About Heavy Uterine Bleeding
Read More: Why It’s Important to Speak Up About Heavy Uterine BleedingMedically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia We may not hear about it much, but heavy uterine bleeding (HUB) is one of the most common gynecological complaints, affecting about one in four women in the United States. The biggest reason so many of us haven’t heard about HUB is because of the stigma associated with periods.…
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cancer, Estrogen, Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Menstrual period, Pelvic health, Progesterone
Heavy Uterine Bleeding May Cause This Potentially Serious Complication
Read More: Heavy Uterine Bleeding May Cause This Potentially Serious ComplicationMedically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia Many women experience a day or two of heavy flow when they have their periods. But if you’re like the 10 million American women who experience heavy uterine bleeding (also called HUB or menorrhagia), your flow might feel more like a broken levee than a small, manageable stream. HUB…
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cancer, Estrogen, Fibroids, Heavy uterine bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Menstrual period, Pelvic health, Progesterone
Important Questions to Ask About Heavy Uterine Bleeding and Its Potential Complications: Q & A with Dr. Rashmi Kudesia
Read More: Important Questions to Ask About Heavy Uterine Bleeding and Its Potential Complications: Q & A with Dr. Rashmi KudesiaMedically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia If you find yourself having to wake up in the middle of the night to change your menstrual products, are bleeding for longer than a week or are passing large blood clots, it could be a sign of heavy uterine bleeding (HUB), also known as menorrhagia. While it may…
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HealthyWomen Statement on Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act (SB 4397)
Read More: HealthyWomen Statement on Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act (SB 4397)HealthyWomen applauds the action by Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., in introducing legislation, the Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act (SB 4397), to address this silent disease that impacts most women. Uterine fibroids, despite being a common gynecological condition among women, often go undiagnosed due to lack of education and research, causing millions of women to…
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Hysterectomy Basics
Read More: Hysterectomy BasicsEvery year, roughly 500,000 people in the United States undergo a hysterectomy. This makes it the second most common surgery for people with uteruses behind cesarean sections. In 2018, nearly one-third of American women* aged 50 and older had had a hysterectomy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Though hysterectomy…
