Publication:

Epidemiological study of uterine fibroids: our experience from urban Maharashtra

Background Uterine fibroids or myomas or leiomyoma of uterus are the most common type of benign tumour of uterus and also most common pelvic tumour in women. Exact etiology is not known but the cause estimated to be is oestrogen and progesterone which proliferate tumour growth as fibroid rarely occur before menarche and reduces after menopause.Risk factors for developing fibroids are age, early age at menarche, reduced fertility, frequent alcohol and caffeine consumption, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and previous pelvic inflammatory disease.  Objective of the research was to study the epidemiological factors associated with uterine fibroids.

Methods This present cross sectional descriptive observational study carried at Vilasrao Deshmukh Government Medical College (VDGMC), Latur from October 2019 to October 2021 among all cases of fibroid admitted at our tertiary care hospital. Data was analysed by using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) 24.0 version IBM United States of America (USA) and results are mentioned in percentages.

Results Out of 166 women, majority were from 31-40 years age group i.e. 58 (34.9%). Majority of the women were from urban area i.e. 57.2%. 13.2% were nullipara and 14.5% were multipara and grand multipara. 19.3% women were not practicing any contraceptive method. Abdominal lump complained by 41%, abnormal uterine bleeding 24.1%, metrorrhagia in 21.7%. Ultrasonography (USG) findings of the study population revealed submucosal fibroids in 64(38.6%), and intramural fibroids in 32 (19.3%).

Conclusions Incidence of fibroids is most common in 31-40 years of age i.e. 34.9%. Commonly observed symptom was abdominal lump (41%) and abnormal uterine bleeding (24.1%). Prevalence of submucosal fibroids was 38.6%, intramural fibroids 19.3%, submucosal polyp 14.5%, seedling fibroid 13.9% and subserosal fibroid 10.2%.