Fibroids are non cancerous tumors that form on the womb. Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with fibroids than white or Hispanic women. Jacque Reid goes Inside Her Story with Dr. Akilah Weber who says, “it is a very common diagnosis. 70% of women will have fibroids by the time they’re 50.”
Because they’re so common, it’s not something that is routinely screened for. They vary in size and severity, they can be as small as an apple seed or as big as a grapefruit; they can not bother you or cause extreme pain. Some women have to have surgery to remove them while some women don’t need surgery. Dr. Weber suggests paying attention to your body, symptoms are heavy and painful periods, painful sex, abdominal pain, and bloating. If you think you may have fibroids you can always ask your doctor to look for them.
California recently joined the short list of states that have designated July Fibroid awareness month and Dr. Weber will be participating in a walk taking place tomorrow.
HEAD BACK TO THE BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM HOMEPAGE
Inside Her Story: How To Identify And Prevent Fibroids was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
