Customer question:
What are uterine fibroids, and why do they appear? Anonymous customer's question
Pharmacist's answer:
Uterine fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors that grow from the muscular wall of the uterus. They are made up of smooth muscle cells and fibrosis and can range in size from microscopic to more significant, which can cause the uterus to enlarge significantly.
Although the causes of fibroids are not fully understood, several factors contribute to their formation. Hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, stimulate the growth of fibroids, which explains why fibroids are more common in women of childbearing age and why they often decrease after menopause when the levels of these hormones decline.
Genetics is also essential, as fibroids are more common in women with relatives with the same problem. Risk factors include early onset of menstruation, use of birth control pills, pregnancy, which can temporarily reduce the risk of developing fibroids, obesity, and a diet high in red meat and low in green vegetables.
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