Abstract
Objective
We analysed the risk factors for clinically diagnosed uterine fibroids in women attending
menopause clinics in Italy.
Methods
Between 1997 and 2003 we conducted a large cross-sectional study on the characteristics
of women around menopause attending a network of first-level outpatient menopause
clinics in Italy for general counselling about menopause or treatment of menopausal
symptoms. A total of 85,967 non-hysterectomized women not reporting myomectomy entered
the study; 2239 had a diagnosis of uterine fibroids. A woman was defined as having
uterine fibroids if she had at gynecological examination an enlarged uterus (2 months
of gestation or more) and a clinical diagnosis of fibroids. In 769 cases was performed
in ultrasound examination which confirmed the diagnosis.
Results
In comparison with women with a body mass index (BMI) <22, the multivariate ORs for
BMI 26 or more were 1.30 (95% CI, 1.09–1.55) for cases with clinical diagnosis, and
1.29 (95% CI, 1.01–1.45) for women with ultrasonographic diagnosis. In comparison
with premenopausal women, the multivariate OR for clinically detected fibroids was
0.63 (95% CI, 0.55–0.72) for post-menopausal ones. The risk of fibroids was lower
in parous women than in nulliparous ones, and the risk decreased with number of births
regardless the type of diagnosis.
Conclusion
This study confirms in a large sample that parity is the main protective factor for
the development of fibroids. Overweight increases the risk.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 31,
2006
Received in revised form:
January 30,
2006
Received:
June 8,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
