Black women in the South face the highest rates of hysterectomies in the U.S., often due to fibroids, with disparities influenced by limited access to alternative treatments and systemic racial and socioeconomic factors. Tanika Valbrun's story highlights the importance of advocacy and awareness for less invasive options and reproductive health rights.
A study involving nearly 111,000 women over three decades has linked endometriosis and uterine fibroids to a higher risk of premature death, particularly from cancer. The research, led by Yi-Xin Wang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, found that women with endometriosis had a 31% increased risk of early death, with reproductive organ cancers being the most common cause. While fibroids were not linked to premature death from all causes, they did increase the risk of dying from gynecological cancers. The study highlights the need for primary care providers to consider these conditions in women's health assessments.
A new study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that women with a history of endometriosis have a 31% higher risk of early death, primarily due to gynaecological cancers, compared to those without the condition. The study, which analyzed data from over 110,000 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II, also found that fibroids are linked to an increased risk of death from gynaecological cancers, though not overall early mortality. The findings highlight the importance of considering gynaecological diseases in broader women's health management and call for further research on the impact of evolving diagnoses and treatments.
The author shares her experience of living with endometriosis, a painful condition caused by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Despite being dismissed by some physicians, she eventually received a diagnosis and underwent multiple surgeries to remove fibroids, endometriomas, and her uterus. She found comfort in her art during her struggle and is now free from endometrial pain. Risk factors for endometriosis include having a family history of the condition, early menstruation, and heavy menstrual periods lasting more than seven days. There is no known cause or specific way to prevent endometriosis.