Exercise and Fibroids

Physicians refer to the benign tumors that can develop in a woman's uterus as fibroids, or uterine leiomyomas. Benign uterine growths are the most common cause of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Indeed, fibroids account for one-third of abnormal vaginal bleeding cases. Such bleeding can occur between periods of menstruation, or during menstruation in the form of excessively heavy bleeding.

It is estimated that approximately 30 percent of women over the age of 35 have uterine fibroids. However, only certain types of uterine fibroids can lead to bleeding. As part of making a diagnosis, doctors will first rule out the presence of more dangerous malignant uterine tumors. This is especially the case for women who are nearing or experiencing menopause as they are at the highest risk for developing uterine cancer. At this point, doctors do not believe that benign fibroids can become malignant. However, in menopausal and postmenopausal women, rapidly growing fibroids can indicate that cancer is present in the uterus.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology investigated the role of exercise in uterine fibroids. This study stated that although little research has been done on this subject, exercise has been shown to be protective in breast cancer, another hormonal mediated tumor. Individuals were randomly chosen in the Washington DC area and were aged 35 to 49 years. This included 734 African-Americans and 455 Caucasians. Ultrasounds were used to document fibroid status while interview questions were used to note exercise status. The results showed that exercise was linked to tumor onset more strongly than tumor growth. The authors concluded that, “regular exercise might help women prevent fibroids.

By Am J Epidemiol. Source: content.nhiondemand.com