| Interestingly enough, doctors are not sure what causes | | | | have never discussed her experience and whether |
| fibroids - well they are not absolutely certain. What is | | | | she knew exactly what was going on and whether |
| known is that a single cell forms and reproduces again | | | | she really needed to have the hysterectomy. I do recall |
| and again and again. It is true to say that there is no | | | | my mother going into hospital for a "big operation"! But |
| evidence to show that fibroids turn into cancer. Fibroids | | | | did not know what and that's how it was left. Since |
| are benign (non cancerous) from the beginning and | | | | my experience and speaking with my mother, I found |
| remain benign. | | | | out that she had a hysterectomy at the age of 38!o |
| Its after puberty when estrogen and progesterone | | | | African-American and Asian women have a higher |
| production begins and fibroids develop, although fibroids | | | | risk than Caucasian women. Amongst my friends the |
| seem to shrink once a woman reaches her | | | | majority of black women I know suffered with fibroids |
| menopause and the hormone levels are drastically | | | | than Caucasian women.o Using birth control pills does |
| decreased. Can you believe, to date, studies have still | | | | not appear to increase risk, except very rarely.o |
| not discovered how fibroids begin and what prompts | | | | Pregnancy and childbirth decrease the risk.o Smoking |
| their growth. | | | | decreases the risk (but, not a good enough reason to |
| It is a well known fact that fibroids are very common | | | | smoke though!) |
| among women especially African-American women | | | | All women have fibroids - my doctor confirmed this. |
| and 40% of Caucasian women. At the age 50, fibroids | | | | Why Asian and Black women suffer more than |
| can be found in a very large percentage | | | | Caucasian women - that remains to be answered! Its |
| (approximately 85% of African-American women and | | | | amazing what sizes the fibroids can grow to. Does this |
| 70% of Caucasian women. Also another finding is that | | | | have anything to do with our food intake - the types |
| fibroids are known to affect women who are related | | | | of food we eat and whether we are following a |
| i.e. mother and daughter relationship. Its funny, my | | | | healthy diet? I think there is some connection there. |
| mother suffered with fibroids and had a hysterectomy | | | | I can recall very clearly being diagnosed with fibroids - |
| in her mid thirties. Once I found that out, I thought "Hop" | | | | told they were very small and as long as they were |
| - never! Its time to beat the knives! | | | | not causing me any pain, I didn't have to do anything |
| I found it interesting that:o If you have a mother or | | | | just continue my life as normal. As the saying goes |
| sister with fibroids, you have an increased risk. Yes it | | | | "don't trouble it if it doesn't trouble you! |
| happened to me and all these years, my mother and I | | | | |