Eighty percent. That is the share of Black women who will develop uterine fibroids at some point in their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health. It is one of the most striking statistics in women’s reproductive health — and one of the least discussed outside of clinical settings.
Fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They range from barely detectable to significantly large, and their symptoms range from manageable to genuinely debilitating. Heavy bleeding, persistent pelvic pain, frequent urination and complications with fertility are all part of the picture for many women living with them. And yet the condition is routinely minimized, attributed to normal menstrual variation and left unaddressed for years while symptoms worsen.
Understanding what drives fibroid growth — and what can be done about it — is not a luxury. For Black women, it is a health priority.
How diet connects to fibroid growth
Diet plays a more direct role in fibroid development than most people realize. Foods high in fat, red meat and heavily processed ingredients have been linked to increased fibroid symptoms and accelerated growth. Anti-inflammatory foods — leafy greens, berries, fatty fish, nuts — work in the opposite direction, reducing the systemic inflammation that fibroids are closely associated with.
Vitamin D deficiency is another significant factor. Research from the NIH has documented a strong association between low vitamin D levels and fibroid development, and Black Americans experience vitamin D deficiency at disproportionately high rates due to the way melanin affects the skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight. Addressing that deficiency through diet, supplementation or both is one of the more accessible interventions available.
Working with a registered dietitian — a service covered by many insurance plans — can help with building an anti-inflammatory eating pattern gradually, focusing on what to add rather than what to eliminate, which tends to be more sustainable over time.
Endocrine disruptors and the specific risks for Black women
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormonal system and have been linked to fibroid growth. They appear in more places than most people expect — certain food packaging, pesticide residues, personal care products and, significantly for Black women, chemical hair relaxers.
Recent research has identified endocrine-disrupting compounds in relaxer formulations, a finding that adds another dimension to a health risk that is already disproportionately concentrated in the Black community. This does not mean that every woman who has used relaxers will develop fibroids, or that relaxers are the sole cause — fibroid development is multifactorial. But it is a finding worth knowing, particularly for women who are already managing symptoms or trying to reduce their risk.
Stress, cortisol and what it does to reproductive health
Chronic stress is not a background issue in fibroid management — it is a direct physiological contributor. Elevated cortisol, the hormone the body releases in response to sustained stress, disrupts menstrual cycle regulation and creates a hormonal environment that can encourage fibroid growth.
For Black women, the stress dimension is inseparable from the broader context of navigating daily life in ways that accumulate over time. The concept of weathering — the cumulative physical toll of chronic stress exposure on Black women’s health — is well-documented in research and directly relevant to understanding why fibroid prevalence is as high as it is in this community.
Stress reduction strategies that are sustainable and enjoyable — movement, community, creative outlets, honest evaluation of relationships and work environments — support hormonal balance in ways that also benefit overall health. Exercise in particular reduces cortisol levels and supports the anti-inflammatory environment that fibroids are less likely to thrive in.
Proactive care and finding the right provider
Fibroids do not always require surgical intervention, but they do require monitoring. Regular check-ups allow for tracking changes in size and symptom pattern before they become more serious. Symptoms like excessive bleeding or persistent pain should never be dismissed or normalized — they are signals worth investigating with a qualified provider.
Finding a specialist who is knowledgeable about fibroids and who takes patient concerns seriously is not a small thing. The experience of having symptoms minimized or attributed to something else is common enough among Black women navigating reproductive health care that it warrants being deliberate about who is in your corner medically. Seeking out providers with demonstrated experience in fibroid management — and being willing to advocate for a second opinion when something feels dismissed — is part of proactive care, not an overreaction.
