Article by:
Amelia Grant
While fibroids are a common female health problem, they aren’t something you’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. But women of childbearing age are at the risk for uterine fibroids. They are non-cancerous growth that can cause different unpleasant symptoms and worsen your quality of life.
Despite the fact that fibroids are pretty common, doctors cannot tell exactly why they develop. However, there are several theories that explain why women get fibroids.
Below are the 8 most potent theories that explain the development of uterine fibroids.
1. Genetics
You probably heard several times that it is important to know your family history of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If your close family members have one of these conditions, your risk increases significantly. The same applies to uterine fibroids. If your mom has or had fibroids, your risk of developing this condition during your childbearing years may increase. That’s why you need to let the doctor in your gynecology clinic know about it.
2. Pregnancy
Pregnancy is another possible cause of fibroids. About one-third of uterine fibroids that affect women may appear or increase in size in the first trimester of the pregnancy. This most likely happens because of estrogen levels that increase during pregnancy. Sometimes, fibroids lose their blood supply and may cause pain during pregnancy. Fibroids may also increase the risk of pregnancy complications like miscarriage or affect the baby’s position in your womb.
3. Diet
Your diet may also play a role in your risk of fibroids. Diets high in fatty foods, sugary foods, and red meats can make you more prone to the development of fibroids. This happens because the food mentioned above causes hormone fluctuations and interferes with normal hormone balance. This can cause the development of uterine fibroids or trigger their growth.
4. Hormonal imbalance
The levels of reproductive hormones can play a role in your risk of developing fibroids. If the levels of estrogen in your body increase and become too high, this can lead to fibroid growth. At the same time, if your levels of progesterone become too low, the risk of fibroids development becomes even higher. Progesterone limits the effect of estrogen on your body.
5. Early onset of puberty
When menstruation begins before the age of 12 this is known as early menarche. Girls whose periods begin at a younger age are more prone to the development of fibroids. This happens because of the greater lifelong exposure to estrogen, which is linked to the development of fibroids.
6. Obesity
Body mass index is a measurement of your overall health based on your height and weight. If your BMI is higher than 30 this means you have too much excess weight also known as obesity. Women with obesity are more prone to the development of uterine fibroids. This is because excess fat increases levels of estrogen and other hormones that can put you at risk of uterine fibroids and other serious health problems like breast cancer.
7. Environmental pollutants
Exposure to high levels of environmental pollutants can increase your risk of fibroid significantly. Women who live in areas with high levels of environmental pollution, toxic chemicals, pesticides, and plastic products may have a significant effect on the development of uterine fibroids.
8. Race
The race also plays a role in your risk of fibroids. Back women are 30 percent more likely to develop fibroids by the age of 50 compared to white women. This can be due to baked-in racial differences like diet, higher rates of obesity, mistrust of the medical establishment, etc. All these factors increase the risk of black for fibroids.