Black women are more prone to fibroids.

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ATLANTA — It’s no secret that racial disparities in health care exist. And when it comes to reproductive health, it’s especially over the top.

An estimated 26 million women have fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors that grow on the lining of the uterus.

Research shows that black women are at higher risk of contracting the disease. According the mayo clinicBlack women are two to three times more likely to have fibroids than white women.

Fibroids often appear during a woman’s childbearing years. Most do not cause problems and never develop into cancer.

Yet millions of people suffer from debilitating symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination, difficulty emptying the bladder, constipation, or back pain.

According to a study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, although most women will have them by age 50, fibroids are more common and more severe among black women.

Women who experience symptoms may have their fibroids removed by surgery. There are several surgical procedures depending on the size and number of fibroids, including myomectomy, radiofrequency ablation, and hysterectomy.

However, there are other options out there. A metro Atlanta doctor has been changing women’s lives through a non-surgical method. Dr. John Lipman, with the Atlanta Fibroid Center, specializes in the treatment of fibroids and provides a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). According to Dr. Lipman, after this 45-minute procedure, all fibroids shrink and stop causing debilitating symptoms.

If you suffer from fibroids, you are not alone. It is suggested that patients explain their symptoms to their doctor, in detail, so that they can get the help and treatment they need.