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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

There are few known risk factors for uterine fibroids, other than being a woman of reproductive age. Other factors that can have an impact on fibroid development include:

  • Heredity. If your mother or sister had fibroids, you're at increased risk of also developing them.
  • Race. Black women are more likely to have fibroids than are women of other racial groups. In addition, black women have fibroids at younger ages, and they're also likely to have more or larger fibroids.
  • Pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy and childbirth seem to have a protective effect and may decrease your risk of developing uterine fibroids.

Areas of research
Research examining other potential factors in the development of fibroids continues in these areas:

  • Obesity. Some studies have suggested that obese women are at higher risk of fibroids, but other studies have not shown a link.
  • Oral contraceptives. So far, strong data exist showing that women who take oral contraceptives have a lower risk of fibroids. This is generally true for all women, except those who start oral contraceptives between ages 13 and 16. Some evidence also shows that progestin-only contraceptives may decrease risk.
Complications Causes
References
  1. Haney AF. Leiomyomata. In: Gibb RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:916.
  2. Baird DD, et al. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: Ultrasound evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2003;188:100.
  3. Stewart EA. Epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and natural history of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 17, 2011.
  4. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Alternatives to hysterectomy in the management of leiomyomas. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2008;112:387.
  5. Peddada SD, et al. Growth of uterine leiomyomata among premenopausal black and white women. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2010;105:19887.
  6. Laughlin SK, et al. Uterine leiomyomas: Individualizing the approach to a heterogeneous condition. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011;117:396.
  7. Uterine fibroids. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp074.cfm. Accessed May 17, 2011.
  8. Stewart EA. Pathogenesis of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 17, 2009.
  9. Management of uterine fibroids: An update of the evidence. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/uterupdate/uterup.pdf. Accessed May 17, 2011.
  10. Stewart EA. Overview of treatment of uterine leiomyomas. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 17, 2011.
  11. Marshall LM, et al. A prospective study of reproductive factors and oral contraceptive use in relation to the risk of uterine leiomyomata. Fertility and Sterility. 1998;70:432.
  12. Faerstein E, et al. Risk factors for uterine leiomyoma: A practice-based case control study. I. African-American heritage, reproductive history, body size, and smoking. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001;153:1.
  13. Chiaffarino F, et al. Use of oral contraceptives and uterine fibroids: Results from a case-control study. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 1999;106:857.
  14. Stewart EA. Alternative and complementary therapies. In: Stewart EA. Uterine Fibroids: The Complete Guide. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2007:172.
  15. Salman T, et al. Uterine fibroids, management and effect on fertility. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2010;22:295.
  16. Al Hilli MM, et al. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery. Seminars in reproductive medicine. 2010;28:242.
  17. Wise LA, et al. Reproductive factors, hormonal contraception, and risk of uterine leiomyomata in African-American women: A prospective study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2004;159:113.
  18. Pritts EA, et al. Fibroids and infertility: An updated systematic review of the evidence. Fertility and Sterility. 2009;91:1215.
  19. Stewart EA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 25, 2011.
DS00078 June 11, 2011

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