Key TakeawaysA new study identified a link between high blood pressure and uterine fibroids.Experts say the exclusion of Black women renders the findings irrelevant.It can be hard to predict fibroids, but age, race, and genetics are better currently determinants than blood pressure.

Key Takeaways

A new study identified a link between high blood pressure and uterine fibroids.Experts say the exclusion of Black women renders the findings irrelevant.It can be hard to predict fibroids, but age, race, and genetics are better currently determinants than blood pressure.

That’s why a new study suggesting a harbinger of fibroids—high blood pressure—seems so promising. The results of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) suggest that hypertension and fibroids are linked and that anti-hypertension medications like ACE inhibitors can lower the risk of developing them.

The study, which surveyed 2,570 individuals between 42 and 52 over the course of 13 visits between 1996 and 2013, looked only at people who had no prior reported fibroids. During the course of the study, those who had new-onset hypertension were more likely to also develop fibroids. Those who took anti-hypertension medication had a lower risk of developing fibroids, with ACE inhibitors showing as the most effective medication.

That’s a huge win, right?

“Overall, there’s not much to glean from the study,” Branch says. “It’s important to have controlled blood pressure, but whether it leads to fibroids, we can’t say with much certainty.”

Branch says that hypertension can lead to a number of known conditions, such as heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.

Health Divide

What Are Some Risk Factors for Fibroids?

So the question remains: Are fibroids related to other conditions, even if hypertension isn’t one of them? According toHugh Taylor, MD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, the most significant risk factors for fibroids are race, age, and family history.

“Black women are much more likely to get fibroids, and when they get them, they tend to be larger, more aggressive, and symptomatic,” Taylor told Verywell.

Age is another risk factor. Fibroids become more common in a person’s 40s. Taylor notes that 70% of women will have a fibroid at some point in their lives, but only 25% will experience symptoms. Fibroids typically resolve with the onset of menopause as estrogen and progesterone production wanes.

Uterine fibroids can be hereditary, with gene mutations MED12, HMGA1, and HMGA2 causing many cases. With the onset of puberty and the surge in hormone flows, fibroids can grow more quickly in some people, leading to heavy bleeding, cramping, and pressure on other organs, such as the bladder. Taylor says that since fibroids may be common in Black families, it’s often dismissed.

“Many women say, ‘Everybody in our family has heavy periods; it’s not a real medical problem to be addressed,’ but these days we have so many ways to treat fibroids,” Taylor said.

Realizing My Bloating Was Not Normal

New Treatments Can Eliminate Symptoms

Taylor says that research shows that there may be some ways to lessen the effects of uterine fibroids. A 2019 study showed that supplemental vitamin D reduced the size of fibroids in women who had a significant vitamin D deficiency. The study noted that vitamin D deficiency is 10 times more prevalent in Black women than in other populations.

“Black skin makes it harder to get the sunlight that drives vitamin D production, so supplementation may be necessary,” Taylor said.

For people with a family history of fibroids, Taylor recommends seeking an ultrasound to detect them earlier. With earlier detection, the symptoms may be addressed earlier, better preserving quality of life.

Anti-inflammatories, such as green tea, may also offer some relief. A 2023 study showed that drinking green tea could alleviate fibroid symptoms, as well as improve symptoms of endometriosis.

While vitamin D and green tea may help reduce the symptoms of uterine fibroids, Taylor said that there are many new options for treatment that will eliminate symptoms completely, including non-surgical solutions.

Ask an Expert: What Types of Procedures Treat Fibroids?

“Ahysterectomyshould be the last resort, especially if someone is considering having more children,” Taylor said. “In the old days, a hysterectomy was always the answer for fibroids, and that’s just not the case anymore. If your doctor tells you that, find another doctor.”

Taylor said that there are several new, effective strategies for treating fibroids, including:

What This Means For YouWhile the most recent study may prompt more research into the link between high blood pressure and uterine fibroids, there’s not enough evidence to prompt real concern. Instead, focus on getting enough vitamin D, exploring anti-inflammatories like green tea, and, if you have a family history of fibroids, talk to your doctor about early detection methods like ultrasounds.

What This Means For You

While the most recent study may prompt more research into the link between high blood pressure and uterine fibroids, there’s not enough evidence to prompt real concern. Instead, focus on getting enough vitamin D, exploring anti-inflammatories like green tea, and, if you have a family history of fibroids, talk to your doctor about early detection methods like ultrasounds.

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Katon JG, Plowden TC, Marsh EE.Racial disparities in uterine fibroids and endometriosis: a systematic review and application of social, structural, and political context.Fertil Steril. 2023;119(3):355-363. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.022Mitro SD, Wise LA, Waetjen LE, et al.Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, and uterine fibroid diagnosis in midlife.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e246832-e246832. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6832Hajhashemi M, Ansari M, Haghollahi F, Eslami B.The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency.Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10(2):125-131. doi:10.22088/cjim.10.2.125Hazimeh D, Massoud G, Parish M, Singh B, Segars J, Islam MS.Green tea and benign gynecologic disorders: a new trick for an old beverage?.Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1439. doi:10.3390/nu15061439

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Katon JG, Plowden TC, Marsh EE.Racial disparities in uterine fibroids and endometriosis: a systematic review and application of social, structural, and political context.Fertil Steril. 2023;119(3):355-363. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.022Mitro SD, Wise LA, Waetjen LE, et al.Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, and uterine fibroid diagnosis in midlife.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e246832-e246832. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6832Hajhashemi M, Ansari M, Haghollahi F, Eslami B.The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency.Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10(2):125-131. doi:10.22088/cjim.10.2.125Hazimeh D, Massoud G, Parish M, Singh B, Segars J, Islam MS.Green tea and benign gynecologic disorders: a new trick for an old beverage?.Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1439. doi:10.3390/nu15061439

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Katon JG, Plowden TC, Marsh EE.Racial disparities in uterine fibroids and endometriosis: a systematic review and application of social, structural, and political context.Fertil Steril. 2023;119(3):355-363. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.022Mitro SD, Wise LA, Waetjen LE, et al.Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, and uterine fibroid diagnosis in midlife.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e246832-e246832. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6832Hajhashemi M, Ansari M, Haghollahi F, Eslami B.The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency.Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10(2):125-131. doi:10.22088/cjim.10.2.125Hazimeh D, Massoud G, Parish M, Singh B, Segars J, Islam MS.Green tea and benign gynecologic disorders: a new trick for an old beverage?.Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1439. doi:10.3390/nu15061439

Katon JG, Plowden TC, Marsh EE.Racial disparities in uterine fibroids and endometriosis: a systematic review and application of social, structural, and political context.Fertil Steril. 2023;119(3):355-363. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2023.01.022

Mitro SD, Wise LA, Waetjen LE, et al.Hypertension, cardiovascular risk factors, and uterine fibroid diagnosis in midlife.JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e246832-e246832. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.6832

Hajhashemi M, Ansari M, Haghollahi F, Eslami B.The effect of vitamin D supplementation on the size of uterine leiomyoma in women with vitamin D deficiency.Caspian J Intern Med. 2019;10(2):125-131. doi:10.22088/cjim.10.2.125

Hazimeh D, Massoud G, Parish M, Singh B, Segars J, Islam MS.Green tea and benign gynecologic disorders: a new trick for an old beverage?.Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1439. doi:10.3390/nu15061439

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