Trial Information

Risk Factors for Uterine Fibroids: A Case Control Study and Follow-up Amendment to Study Disease Progression

Uterine leiomyomas are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States, accounting
for over 200,000 procedures each year. Leiomyoma is a common condition with many tumors
being asymptomatic. It is not known which women who have fibroids will develop clinical
symptoms. In 1996-1999 the NIEHS Uterine Fibroid Study enrolled 1245 randomly selected
premenopausal women, aged 35 to 49, who had been randomly selected from the membership roles
of George Washington University Health Plan, a large prepaid health plan in Washington, D.C.
Slightly over half of the participants were African American. Participants were asked
about prior diagnoses of uterine leiomyomas, and 87% were examined by abdominal/transvaginal
ultrasound to screen for uterine leiomyoma. Sixty-two percent of the 1245 had either had a
prior diagnosis of leiomyoma or had sonogram evidence of the condition.