Majority of Women With Uterine Fibroids Steered to Sterilization

More than half the women diagnosed with fibroids in their wombs are presented with the option of a hysterectomy, a sterilizing operation, rather than less invasive procedures, said a survey commissioned by the Society of Interventional Radiology. Uterine fibroids, defined as benign growths that often appear during years of pregnancy and birth, are not considered risk factors for cancer. Hysterectomies are often recommended for cancer of the cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes. This survey, conducted online with 1,122 women, said 53 percent of women diagnosed with uterine fibroids were presented with the hysterectomy option, while less than 20 percent were presented with less invasive options. Seventeen percent of the women surveyed reported that they believed that hysterectomy, removing their uterus, was their only option. The survey was conducted by Harris Poll, a research consulting group....