Uterine fibroids linked to prior sex abuse

BOSTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Women who suffered from physical or sexual abuse as children or teens face a higher risk of uterine fibroids later in life, U.S. researchers say.

Lead author Dr. Renee Boynton Jarrett, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine, says uterine leiomyomas, fibroids or myomas -- benign, hormone-dependent tumors that are clinically symptomatic in 20 percent of women of reproductive age -- contribute to one-third of U.S. hysterectomies, increased infertility risk, spontaneous abortion, pelvic pain and have a significant impact on a woman's quality of life.

The study involves 68,505 premenopausal U.S. nurses, of which 65 percent reported physical or sexual abuse as a child or teen. Almost 10,000 incident diagnoses of ultrasound- or hysterectomy confirmed uterine leiomyomas were made.

The study, published in the journal Epidemiology, found the risk for fibroids increased from 8 percent to 36 percent among those with the mildest to most severe cumulative abuse in childhood.

"The impact of early life adversity on fibroid risk persisted even among those with no violence exposure in adulthood," Jarrett said in a statement.

The researchers found having an emotionally supportive relationship in childhood was protective against leiomyoma.