Genes linked to uterine fibroids and their severity

Published by Travis Wilson on

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the womb. They are very common among women in their childbearing years. Nearly 8 in 10 women in the United States will have fibroids at some point. Often, fibroids do not cause any problems. But for some women, fibroids can cause heavy bleeding, pain, or problems having a baby. We don’t know what causes fibroids, but they tend to run in families. This suggests there are genes that may make a woman more likely to get fibroids. There have not been many studies on the genes linked to fibroids. BioVU has DNA samples from thousands of women with fibroids. This project will test for genes that may be linked to fibroids. BioVU also has information about how big a woman’s fibroids are and how many she has. The researchers will also look for genes that relate to these factors. The results could help us predict which women may get fibroids and how bad they will be. This could suggest ways to prevent or possibly treat this common condition.

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