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Uterine Fibroids
- Topic Overview
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Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
The exact cause of uterine fibroids is not known. Fibroids begin when cells overgrow in the muscular wall of the uterus.
After a fibroid develops, the hormones estrogen and progesterone appear to influence its growth. A woman's body produces the highest levels of these hormones during her childbearing years. After menopause, when hormone levels decline, fibroids usually shrink or disappear.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: August 11, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Anne Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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