Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Integrative Medicine
• Women's Health

Background:

• Uterine fibroids significantly impact women's health and quality of life.
• Symptomatic fibroids often prompt patients to seek various treatment modalities.
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) represents a growing area of interest for managing fibroid symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and patterns of CAM use among women with symptomatic uterine fibroids in the United States.
• To identify factors associated with CAM utilization specifically for fibroid symptom management.
• To understand the types of CAM therapies employed by this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a multicenter, prospective cohort study (Uterine Leiomyoma Treatment with Radiofrequency Ablation study, 2017-2019).
• Comparison of women using CAM for fibroids versus those using CAM for other reasons or not at all.
• Multivariable logistic regression models to identify predictors of CAM use for fibroids.

Main Results:

• CAM use was prevalent (67%) in a diverse sample of 204 women with symptomatic fibroids.
• 42% reported using CAM specifically for fibroid symptoms, with diet and herbs being most common.
• Factors associated with CAM use for fibroids included pelvic pressure, lower BMI, and lower quality of life.

Conclusions:

• CAM use is highly prevalent among women experiencing symptomatic uterine fibroids.
• Healthcare providers should inquire about CAM use to better understand its role in fibroid management.
• Further research into the efficacy and safety of CAM for fibroid symptom relief is warranted.