How common are fibroids?
We're not sure how common fibroids are because many women with fibroids don't have any symptoms, so they don't see their doctor.
Some studies say that at least 20 percent of women have fibroids.1 But other studies say that as many as 75 percent of women have them.2
Black women are three times more likely to have fibroids than white women.3 But we don't know why this is. We do know that fibroids are the most common reason why women in the United States have their womb removed (a hysterectomy) or other surgery in the same area.1
Every year in the United States:1
- About 175,000 women have an operation to remove their womb (a hysterectomy) because of fibroids
- About 20,000 women have an operation to remove just their fibroids (a myomectomy).
Sources for the information on this page:
- Practice committee of the American society of reproductive medicine. Myomas and reproductive function. Fertility and Sterility. 2004; 82 (supplement): S111-116.
- Cramer SF, Patel A. The frequency of uterine leiomyomas. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. 1990; 94: 435-438.
- Schwartz SM, Marshall LM, Baird DD. Epidemiologic contributions to understanding the etiology of uterine leiomyomata. Environmental Health Perspective. 2000; 108: 821-827.
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice.
Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
