Women Heath Us First. Empowering those with fibroids to be fearless. Our health matters!
Women Heath Us First
“Every woman is an expert on her own body.”
-Sateria Venable
The highest priority of Women Heath Us First is to promote effective initiatives that serve women that need them most. We believe in taking action with urgency in order to raise public awareness about some of the most pressing issues facing women, and society, today.
Mission
To spread awareness on a national scale about the widespread occurrence of uterine fibroids. The “Women's Health… Us First” platform aim to promote education, foster research, building a supportive community, and advocate for better health. Our efforts are focused on educating individuals on fibroids and the available treatment options, empowering a united community to advocate for their improved health, and ending the silent suffering associated with fibroids.
What are Fibroids
Did you know? 90% of Black and 70% of White women will be diagnosed with fibroids by the age of 50
Fibroids are muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus (womb). Another medical term for fibroids is leiomyoma or just "myoma". Fibroids are almost always benign (not cancerous). Fibroids can grow as a single tumor, or there can be many of them in the uterus. They can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a grapefruit. In unusual cases they can become very large. It is estimated that 70 to 80 percent of women will develop fibroids in their lifetime — however, not everyone will develop symptoms or require treatment.
Types of Fibroids
Intramural: Within the muscular walls of the uterus and typically can cause heavy bleeding or pressure symptoms.
Submucosal: Either inside or abutting the uterine cavity and typically cause heavy bleeding (least common type).
Subserosal: Outer wall of the uterus and typically cause bulk or pressure symptoms.
Pedunculated: Fibroids on a thin stalk (less common).
Risk Factors
Although the exact cause of fibroids is unknown, there are risk factors that increase a woman's risk of developing them.
Age
Fibroids become more common as women age, especially during the 30s and 40s through menopause. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink.
Family history
Having a family member with fibroids increases your risk. If a woman's mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average.
Ethnic origin
African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than white women.
Obesity
Women who are overweight are at higher risk for fibroids. For very heavy women, the risk is two to three times greater than average.
Eating habits
Eating a lot of red meat (e.g., beef) and ham is linked with a higher risk of fibroids. Eating plenty of green vegetables seems to protect women from developing fibroids.
Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency.
Vitamin D is a powerful inhibitor of fibroid growth but only 10% of African-Americans have adequate levels. Sunlight (in moderation), supplements, and food sources (i.e. salmon) can help get your numbers up to where they should be.
Our Bodies, Our Priority
“I have fibroids?”
Well doctor I've got questions.
HOW MANY FIBROIDS DO I HAVE, AND WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED?
WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE FIBROIDS.
ARE THEY NEAR MY BLADDER OR FALLOPIAN TUBES?
AM I ANEMIC?
WHAT TESTS OR IMAGING DO I NEED
WHAT MEDICATIONS ARE AN OPTION FOR ME, AND ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?
WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS DO YOU THINK WOULD BE BEST GIVEN MY DIAGNOSIS?
DO YOU PERFORM SAID TREATMENT OPTION FREQUENTLY? IF NOT, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND SOMEONE?
WILL THE FIBROIDS IMPACT MY FERTILITY?
THIS MAY NOT BE A CONCERN FOR EVERY PERSON.)CAN WE RANK THE CONCERNS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME?ASK ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ANSWERED
Treatment
With any procedure that doesn't remove the uterus, there's a risk that new fibroids could grow and cause symptoms.
Traditional surgical procedures
Options for traditional open surgeries that use a larger incision include:
Abdominal myomectomy.
This type of surgery removes fibroids through a larger cut in the stomach area, also called the abdomen. Your doctor may recommend it if you have more than one fibroid, very large fibroids or very deep fibroids.
Many people who are told that hysterectomy is their only option can have an abdominal myomectomy instead. Scarring after surgery can lower the chances of being able to get pregnant in the future, though.
Hysterectomy.
This surgery removes the uterus. It remains the only proven permanent solution for uterine fibroids.
Hysterectomy ends your ability to bear children. If you also decide to have your ovaries removed, the surgery brings on menopause. You'll then choose whether to take hormone replacement therapy, which is medicine that can ease menopause side effects such as hot flashes. Most people with uterine fibroids may be able to choose to keep their ovaries
Treatment
There's no single best treatment for uterine fibroids. Many treatment choices exist. If you have symptoms, talk with your care team about ways to get relief.
Watchful waiting
Many people with uterine fibroids have no symptoms. Or they have mildly annoying symptoms that they can live with. If that's the case for you, watchful waiting could be the best option.
Medicines
Medicines for uterine fibroids target hormones that control the menstrual cycle. They treat symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic pressure. They don't get rid of fibroids, but they may shrink them. Medicines include:
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists.
These treat fibroids by blocking the body from making the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This puts you into a temporary menopause-like state. As a result, menstrual periods stop, fibroids shrink and anemia often gets better.
GnRH
agonists include leuprolide (Lupron Depot, Eligard, others), goserelin (Zoladex) and triptorelin (Trelstar, Triptodur Kit).
Many people have hot flashes while using
GnRH
agonists. Often, these medicines are used for no more than six months. That's because symptoms return when the medicine is stopped, and long-term use can cause loss of bone. Sometimes,
GnRH
agonists are taken with low-dose estrogen or progestin. You might hear this called add-back therapy. It can ease side effects, and it might allow you to take
GnRH
agonists up to 12 months.
Your doctor may prescribe a
GnRH
agonist to shrink the size of your fibroids before a planned surgery. Or you might be prescribed this medicine to help transition you into menopause.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists.
These medicines can treat heavy menstrual bleeding in people with uterine fibroids who haven't gone through menopause. But they don't shrink fibroids.
GnRH
antagonists can be used for up to two years. Taking them along with add-back therapy can lessen side effects such as hot flashes and bone loss. Sometimes, low-dose estrogen or progestin are already included in these medicines.
GnRH
antagonists include elagolix (Oriahnn) and relugolix (Myfembree).
Other medicines.
Your doctor might recommend other medicines. For example, low-dose birth control pills can help control menstrual bleeding. But they don't reduce fibroid size.
A noninvasive treatment doesn't involve surgical cuts called incisions. It also doesn't involve tools being placed in the body. With uterine fibroids, a procedure called MRI-guided focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is:
A noninvasive treatment option
that preserves the uterus. It's done on an outpatient basis, meaning you don't have to spend the night at the hospital afterward.
Done while you're inside an MRIscanner
equipped with a high-energy ultrasound device for treatment. The images give your doctor the precise location of the uterine fibroids. When the location of the fibroid is targeted, the ultrasound device focuses sound waves into the fibroid to heat and destroy small areas of fibroid tissue.
Minimally invasive procedures
Uterine artery embolization.
Small particles called embolic agents are injected into the arteries that supply the uterus with blood. The particles cut off blood flow to fibroids, causing them to shrink and die.
This technique can help shrink fibroids and relieve the symptoms they cause. Complications may happen if the blood supply to your ovaries or other organs is reduced. But research shows that complications are similar to surgical fibroid treatments. And the risk of needing a blood transfusion is lower.
Radiofrequency ablation.
In this procedure, heat from radiofrequency energy destroys uterine fibroids and shrinks the blood vessels that feed them. This can be done through small cuts in the stomach area, a type of surgery called laparoscopy. It also can be done through the vagina, called a transvaginal procedure, or through the cervix, called a transcervical procedure.
With laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation, your doctor makes two small cuts in the abdomen. A slim viewing tool with a camera at the tip, called a laparoscope, is placed through the cuts. Using the camera and an ultrasound tool, your doctor finds fibroids to be treated.
After finding a fibroid, your doctor uses a device to send small needles into the fibroid. The needles heat up the fibroid tissue and destroy it. The destroyed fibroid changes right away.
Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation is also known as the Acessa procedure or Lap-RFA. Because there's no cutting of uterine tissue, doctors consider
Lap-RFA
a less invasive treatment than surgeries such as a hysterectomy and a myomectomy. Most people who have the procedure get back to regular activities within a few days.
The transcervical — or through the cervix — approach to radiofrequency ablation is called Sonata. It also uses ultrasound guidance to locate fibroids.
Laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy.
In a myomectomy, your surgeon removes the fibroids and leaves the uterus in place.
If the fibroids are few in number, you and your doctor may opt for a laparoscopic procedure. This uses slender instruments placed through small cuts in the abdomen to remove the fibroids from the uterus.
Sometimes, a robotic system is used for the laparoscopic procedure. Your doctor views your stomach area on a monitor using a small camera attached to one of the instruments. Robotic myomectomy gives your surgeon a magnified,
3D
view of your uterus. This can make the procedure more precise than is possible using some other techniques.
Larger fibroids can be removed through smaller cuts by breaking them into pieces with a device that cuts tissue. This is called morcellation. It can be done inside a surgical bag to lower the risk of spreading any cancer cells that doctors hadn't expected to find. Or it can be done by extending one incision to remove the fibroids without morcellation.
Hysteroscopic myomectomy.
This procedure may be an option if the fibroids are inside the uterus, also called submucosal fibroids. The fibroids are removed using tools placed through the vagina and cervix into the uterus.
Endometrial ablation.
This procedure can reduce heavy menstrual flow. A device that's inserted into the uterus gives off heat, microwave energy, hot water, cold temperature or an electric current. This destroys the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus.
You aren't likely to get pregnant after endometrial ablation. But it's a good idea to take birth control to prevent a fertilized egg from forming in a fallopian tube, called an ectopic pregnancy. Without treatment, the growing tissue might cause life-threatening bleeding.
Vital Vitamins
Make an Impact
What Are Women’s Most Essential Daily Vitamins?
The human body is truly amazing, with its various systems working together to keep us healthy and thriving. And to help our bodies perform at their best, we need to make sure we're getting the vitamins and minerals we need. Vitamins and minerals are vital for various bodily functions, from cell growth and energy production to immunity and bone health. Whether through a balanced diet or supplements, taking care of our bodies is a key part of living our best lives.
The Power of VitaminsWhile a balanced diet is often ideal, regular checkups can help ensure optimal vitamin levels and identify any deficiencies.
The following is a list of essential vitamins that women should include in their diet to maintain optimal health.
VITAMIN A
While Vitamin A is known for its benefits to clear vision, it’s also important for fetal development. This vitamin can help with cellular growth and a healthy immune system.
B VITAMINS
There are several B Vitamins, but some are more important to women than others.
Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is essential for helping your body make blood cells. It also prevents certain birth defects and reduces the risk of premature births.
Vitamin B12 also helps the body make red blood cells. It is responsible for helping the neurons in the brain to work as they should. This is another vitamin that is important for pregnant women to take to avoid a low birth weight.
Vitamins B1 and B2 are important for energy. Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, helps with energy and regulates oxidative stress. Pregnant women are more likely to suffer a deficiency.
VITAMIN C
Vitamin C is most popular for strengthening your immune system, but it does much more. This vitamin helps with wound healing and making more red blood cells. Vitamin C also makes you feel more alert and able to concentrate better by boosting the chemical in the brain called norepinephrine.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is necessary to help you get the most benefit from calcium. It moves the mineral into your bloodstream. If you don’t get enough Vitamin D, your body will take the calcium from your bones, which can cause them to become weak and brittle.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E helps slow the signs of aging by keeping your cells healthy. It’s also necessary for immune health. It’s rare to experience a deficiency, but women who have trouble absorbing fat may become deficient.
VITAMIN K
Vitamin K is important in helping blood to clot. It also assists other nutrients in keeping your bones strong, which is important as you get older, especially for women.
CHOLINE
Choline is a necessary nutrient for pregnant women for their health and the baby’s. Women are recommended to get 450 mg daily, but many prenatal vitamins don’t include choline.
Vitamins for Fibroids
Women with fibroids or those who are at risk may want to think about their nutrition and how it can help with this condition. Iron and B vitamins are important for a woman with uterine fibroids, especially if they cause severe bleeding. If you suffer from extended periods or heavy bleeding during your period, you may need extra iron or vitamin B.
Vitamin D deficiency may increase a woman’s risk for the growth of fibroids. You can get this vitamin from plants and through foods sourced from animals, such as eggs, milk, cheese, honey, and meat. While you may be unable to prevent fibroids through what you eat, getting the right nutrition to counteract some of the symptoms is important to be as healthy as possible.
What Vitamins Are Important When You’re On Your Period?
Calcium: Cheese, yogurt, beans, and figs – Relieve bloating & sleepiness.
Fish Oil: Salmon, Omega-3 supplements – Ease headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
Folic Acid: Leafy greens and legumes – May regulate periods.
Magnesium: Dark chocolate, avocados, nuts, seeds, and whole grains- Combat insomnia, breast tenderness, and anxiety.
Iron: Spinach, lentils, eggs, broccoli, chicken, and pumpkin seeds – Fight symptoms of heavy bleeding.
Vitamins for Anemia
If you're wondering how vitamins are related to anemia, let me tell you that anemia occurs when your body doesn't have enough red blood cells to transport oxygen from the lungs to other parts of the body. This condition is also characterized by a scarcity of Hemoglobin (Hb), an iron-rich protein. Iron deficiency anemia can occur when your body uses up your iron stores to produce more hemoglobin for supplying oxygen to various cells in the body. However, you can combat iron storage depletion by consuming foods that are rich in iron, also known as Fe - one of the most effective ways to improve your overall iron levels.
Can Your Period Cause Anemia?
If you are suffering from fibroids, you may experience heavy bleeding during periods which can lead to a condition called iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is a common condition where your body lacks enough iron to produce healthy red blood cells, which can cause fatigue, breathlessness, and sluggishness. However, the good news is that iron deficiency anemia from fibroids is treatable, and your doctor can help you effectively manage both concerns.
If you experience prolonged or heavy bleeding that lasts for more than 10 days or bleeding between menstrual cycles, it is time to visit your doctor. Such bleeding, coupled with fibroids, can lead to heavy bleeding, which in turn, can cause anemia. Anemia can cause various symptoms like fatigue, drowsiness, and others. Therefore, it is essential to detect and treat anemia early to feel your best. Your doctor can help you manage your fibroids, reduce your risk of anemia, or replenish your iron reserves if you’ve already experienced heavy bleeding.
SCHEDULE A HEALTH CHECKUP
Mild anemia is often asymptomatic, but as red blood cells decrease due to anemia progression, symptoms can start to appear. Since red blood cells are responsible for providing oxygen to the body, a lack of them can lead to insufficient oxygen supply to the cells. During menstruation, anemia can display several warning signs that interfere with your daily life. Fatigue can weigh you down, leaving you feeling weak and breathless. Your skin may appear pale, in contrast to your usual vibrancy. Headaches and dizziness can cloud your focus, while irregular heartbeats can add to your anxiety. These physical and emotional symptoms portray a picture of struggle, highlighting the importance of seeking help.
Fibroids and Pregnancy
Support Women
It's important to know that many women can have a successful pregnancy with fibroids without any complications. However, some women face challenges when trying to conceive with fibroids. It can be disheartening to learn that fibroids growing on the inner wall of your uterus or in your uterine cavity can affect the implantation and growth of the embryo, potentially leading to a miscarriage or infertility. Unfortunately, uterine fibroids can reduce fertility in various ways, and it's understandable that this can be a difficult and emotional journey for those affected.
Changes to the cervix shape
impact the number of sperm entering
the uterus.Uterus shape changes can interfere with the sperm’s or embryo’s movement.
Abnormal attachment of the placenta
Blocks the fallopian tubes.
Affects the flow of blood to the uterine cavity, thus decreasing the embryo’s ability to implant in the uterine wall or develop.
Postpartum hemorrhage
Raised chance of miscarriage and preterm labor
If you have been diagnosed with fibroids and have faced infertility issues in the past, it may feel overwhelming. However, it's important to remember that with the help of a fibroid specialist, it is possible to conceive and carry a healthy baby. A skilled specialist can diagnose if fibroids are causing your infertility or if there are other potential causes. After an accurate diagnosis, the specialist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and the health of you and your baby.