Uterine Fibroid Embolization or Myomectomy: How Much Marketing Is Enough? Comparative Analysis of Public Search Trends in Google and Medical Publications in PubMed

To compare public popularity and volume of scientific publications regarding uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) and myomectomy. Google Trends and PubMed data were queried to assess temporal variations in online public search volumes and number of research publications for UFE and myomectomy. Time series analysis was used to identify meaningful temporal trends and forecast a future trend. Compared with UFE, myomectomy had significantly higher volumes of public online search and research publications, with an increasing trend over time (P < .0001). The forecasting models predicted a continuing increase in both public search volumes and number of research publications for myomectomy and static future trends in these metrics for UFE. This study signals significantly lower public popularity and research efforts for UFE compared with myomectomy for uterine fibroids. More effective marketing strategies and further research support will be needed to fill this gap.