​Want to know more about uterine fibroids? The following are links to informational materials, government reports, research studies, and scientific journal articles that provide recent facts about fibroids and their impact on women’s health. 

• Consumers
• Government Reports
• Scientific Research

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• A Visual Guide to Uterine Fibroids. 2016. WebMD Slideshow. Describes uterine fibroids, the symptoms, possible complications, how fibroids are diagnosed, when is treatment necessary, and different treatment options.
• Options for Dealing with Uterine Fibroids. 2009. New York Times. Personal Health. October 13, 2009. Describes surgical and non-surgical treatments for uterine fibroids.
• Uterine Fibroids. Frequently Asked Questions. 2011. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. FAQ074, May 2011. Defines uterine fibroids and explains who is most likely to get them, the symptoms, possible complications, how are fibroids are diagnosed, when is treatment necessary, and different treatment options.
• Uterine Fibroids Fact Sheet. 2013. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women’s Health. March 29, 2013. Contains basic facts on the the number and characteristics of women who get fibroids, cost, and various therapies used to treat symptoms. The fact sheet also describes NIH-supported research.

• Uterine Fibroids Fact Sheet. 2017. Office on Women’s Health. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).​ Explains uterine fibroids, causes and common symptoms, available treatments, and questions to ask your doctor. 

• Which Treatments for Uterine Fibroids Have the Best Results? 2017. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). A short report of a study comparing the outcomes of three types of surgical treatments for uterine fibroids: endometrial ablation, myomectomy, and uterine artery embolization.

• Management of Uterine Fibroids: An Update of the Evidence. 2007. Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ). This report summarized published studies between 2000-2007 on the number and characteristics of women who get uterine fibroids, different forms of treatment, the cost of fibroid treatment, and risk factors for this common condition.
• The FIBROID Registry. Report of Structure, Methods, and Initial Results. 2005. Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ). Collects data on the use and outcomes of uterine artery embolization.

Incidence, Treatment Options, and Cost

• Annual Costs Associated with Diagnosis of Uterine Leiomyomata. 2006. Obstetrics and Gynecology; 108, 930–937.  Summarizes a study on the annual care, direct health care, and indirect work loss costs for women who are diagnosed with uterine fibroids.
• Asymptomatic Uterine Fibroids. 2008. Best Practice & Research: Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology. August 22, 2008. Examines the issue of whether and how to treat fibroids before they become symptomatic, especially in younger women who may want to have children in the future.  
• Contemporary Management of Uterine Fibroids: Focus on Emerging Medical Treatments. 2015. Current Medical Research and Opinion. Jan; 31(1):1-12. Provides an overview of the treatment options for uterine fibroids, with a focus on the role of nonsurgical therapies.
• Leiomyoma-Related Hospitalization and Surgery: Prevalence and Predicted Growth Based on Population Trends. 2011. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  011;205(492):e491–495.  Provides estimates of the number of hospitalizations and inpatient surgeries for uterine fibroids in US women ages 15 to 54 years. 
• Uterine Fibroids: Current Perspectives. 2014. International Journal of Women’s Health. January 2014; 6: 95–114. A summary of the risk factors, methods of diagnosis, and current treatment options for uterine fibroids.
• What Are the Total Costs of Surgical Treatment for Uterine Fibroids? 2008. Journal of Women's Health. 2008 September;17(7):1119-32. Findings from a large study investigative study.
• Study of Environment Lifestyle and Fibroids (SELF): Advancing the Field of Fibroid Epidemiology. 2015. Journal of Women’s Health; 24(11):862-864. This issue of the Journal of Women’s Health reports on the methods, recruitment, and participant characteristics of the Study of Environment Lifestyle and Fibroids (SELF). 
  
  

 
Fertility and Pregnancy Complications

• Fibroids and Infertility: An Updated Systematic Review of the Evidence. 2009. Fertility and Sterility. 2009;91:1215–23. Examines the effect of uterine fibroids on fertility and infertility.
• The Impact and Management of Fibroids for Fertility: An Evidence-Based Approach. 2012. Obstetrics & Gynecology Clinics of North America. 2013 Oct; 209(4): 319.e1–319.e20. ocuments the incidence of fertility and pregnancy complications in women with uterine fibroids and discusses different medical and surgical treatment options.

 
Delayed Diagnosis and Emotional Impact

• An Altered Perception of Normal: Understanding Causes for Treatment Delay in Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids. 2016. Journal of Women's Health. August 2016, 25(8): 846-852.
  Discusses the factors and misperceptions that cause women with symptomatic fibroids to delay seeking medical treatment.
• Beyond the Physical: A Qualitative Assessment of the Emotional Burden of Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids on Women’s Mental Health. 2014. Fertility & Sterility. Sept 2014; Vol. 102(3):329. Research findings examining the effects of symptomatic fibroids on women’s mental health.
• The Impact of Uterine Fibroids: A National Survey of Affected Women. 2013. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2013 Oct;209(4):319.e1-319.e20  Documents the time it takes for women with symptomatic fibroids to seek medical treatment.

 
Disparities for Women of Color

• The Burden of Uterine Fibroids for African-American Women: Results of a National Survey. 2013. Journal of Women’s Health. 2013 Oct; 22(10): 807–816 Documents that African-American women have more severe symptoms from uterine fibroids that impact their ability to work and urges more research into alternatives to hysterectomy for treating uterine fibroids.
• High Cumulative Incidence of Uterine Leiomyoma in Black and White Women: Ultrasound Evidence. 2003. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology; 188,
  100–107  Documents the incidence of uterine fibroids in postmenopausal black and white women.
• The Impact of Race as a Risk Factor for Symptom Severity and Age at Diagnosis of Uterine Leiomyomata Among Affected Sisters. 2008. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 198(168): 161–169. Discusses the impact of race on the incidence and severity of uterine fibroids.
• Two Health Disparities of Uterine Fibroids. 2013. Fertility and Sterility. 2013 Jun; 99(7): 1851–1852. Discusses how uterine fibroids are disproportionately prevalent among African American women and that investments into research are low compared to their occurrence.