Uterine Fibroids Among Caribbean and African Women in the UK: A Scoping Review

Background Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are common benign tumours affecting women in the UK. Globally, women of African and Caribbean descent report a higher prevalence, earlier onset, and greater symptom severity compared to other racial groups. Despite this known disparity, there is a paucity of evidence for this population within the UK healthcare context. Objective To review the existing UK-based evidence concerning uterine fibroids among women of African and/or Caribbean ancestry. Search strategy Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library in July 2025. Grey literature sources were also included in the searches. Selection criteria Studies conducted in the UK, focusing on African and Caribbean women, and reporting on uterine fibroids. Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the included studies and analysed thematically. Main results The search identified six studies. Key findings include the evidence on genetic predispositions to uterine fibroids, the potential role of Vitamin D as a protective factor, rare presentions of the disease, and the use of minimally invasive surgical treatments with the potential for improved treatment outcomes, including recovery time and quality of life. Conclusion This review confirms a critical lack of focused research on uterine fibroids among Black women in the UK. Our findings underscore the need for further research in this population. Full Title Uterine Fibroids Among Caribbean and African Women in the UK: A Scoping Review Running title A Scoping Review of Uterine Fibroids among Black Women in the UK Authors Faye Ruddock 1,*,#, Albert Lawrence Kwansa 1,#, Dilly Anumba 2, Pauline Walters 4, Miriam Ejim 1, Leona Adjei-Mensah 1 and Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas 3 # Co-first authors Co-authors 1. Research and Innovation, Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN), Manchester, UK 2. School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK 3. Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK 4. School of Education & Psychology, University of Bolton, Bolton, UK *Corresponding Author Professor Dilly AnumbaSchool of Medicine and Population HealthUniversity of Sheffield, Sheffield, UKEmail: [email protected]: Word count : 3491 words

Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are common benign tumours affecting women in the UK. Globally, women of African and Caribbean descent report a higher prevalence, earlier onset, and greater symptom severity compared to other racial groups. Despite this known disparity, there is a paucity of evidence for this population within the UK healthcare context.

To review the existing UK-based evidence concerning uterine fibroids among women of African and/or Caribbean ancestry. Search strategy Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library in July 2025. Grey literature sources were also included in the searches. Selection criteria Studies conducted in the UK, focusing on African and Caribbean women, and reporting on uterine fibroids. Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the included studies and analysed thematically. Main results The search identified six studies. Key findings include the evidence on genetic predispositions to uterine fibroids, the potential role of Vitamin D as a protective factor, rare presentions of the disease, and the use of minimally invasive surgical treatments with the potential for improved treatment outcomes, including recovery time and quality of life.

This review confirms a critical lack of focused research on uterine fibroids among Black women in the UK. Our findings underscore the need for further research in this population. Funding The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Fibroids, African, Caribbean, Black, United Kingdom

Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) represent the most common benign gynaecological tumours in women of reproductive age, yet, at the population level, Black women experience significantly higher rates and often more complex and severe disease. 1 Globally, a substantial body of evidence, predominantly from North America, highlights a significant racial disparity, with women of Caribbean and African descent experiencing a significantly higher prevalence (up to three times more likely to suffer from fibroids compared to white women) and an earlier onset of disease. 2, 3, 4 Studies also indicate that up to 80% of Black women may develop fibroids by age 50, with an onset of five to ten years earlier than their White counterparts. 5 This disparity exists even when considering the interaction between biological risk factors and social determinants of health. 1,6 In the United Kingdom (UK), Black women face evidenced disparities in reproductive and maternal health outcomes, 7 influenced by factors such as structural racism and barriers to healthcare. 1 Considering what we currently know about racial disparities in uterine fibroids globally, it is highly probable that a similarly disproportionate burden of uterine fibroids contributes to these wider gynaecological inequities in the UK. With the expected high burden of the condition among Black women in the UK, there is the need to map and understand the breadth and depth of research work that has been done specifically for this racial demographic. Critical knowledge regarding the precise prevalence, the interplay of unique genetic determinants with UK-specific risk factors, 6 protective factors, direct and indirect economic costs, patient experiences, and the effectiveness of different treatment pathways will be essential to understanding the full extent of the problem. Consequently, this scoping review aims to systematically map the existing literature in the UK, highlighting the precise knowledge gaps, providing a foundational evidence base to inform urgently needed targeted research, culturally competent clinical guidelines, and equitable health policies for Black women affected by uterine fibroids in the UK.

This scoping review was guided by the methodological frameworks proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). 8 It was also guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), 9 and recommendations from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for conducting scoping reviews. 10 The JBI recommends the use of the PCC (Population, Concept, and Context) framework for conducting scoping reviews. 10 The review also relied on an outcomes framework (Figure 1) designed by the study team in consultation with field experts and clinicians to map broad aspects of the condition that would be necessary for a more comprehensive understanding. The review was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) [DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/QYCBP]. 11 Search strategy Academic (PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library) and grey literature sources (Google Scholar, the websites of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG), Royal College of Nursing, and the ProQuest theses and dissertation repository) were searched from inception up to July 2025. Citation searches of included studies were conducted to identify any other studies that may have been missed in the initial searches. The final search strategy comprised of alternate keywords representing Population (Caribbean and African populations: “Black”, “African descent”, “Caribbean descent”, “Afro-Caribbean”), Concept (Uterine fibroids: “leiomyoma”, “myoma”), and Context (United Kingdom: “UK”, “Great Britain”, “England”, “Scotland”, “Wales”, “Northern Ireland”), combined with Boolean terms “OR” for related keywords and “AND” for unrelated keywords. The full search strategy is provided in Appendix S1. Search outputs were subsequently transported into Covidence (Veritas Health Innovation, Melbourne, Australia) for deduplication and screening. Two reviewers (ALK and LA-M) independently screened titles and abstracts, and subsequently the full texts of potentially relevant studies based on our set inclusion and exclusion criteria which was informed by the PCC (population, concept, context). Disagreements were resolved through discussions or consultation with a third reviewer (PW or ME). Specifically, articles were included if they were peer-reviewed studies of any study design on uterine fibroids reported in exclusivity or together with other womb health conditions e.g. endometriosis, among women who self-identified or were identified as Black (i.e., of African and/or of Caribbean descent) and living in the UK i.e., England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Studies were also included if they reported on any of the aspects in our proposed framework (Figure 1). Articles were excluded if the data presented was from mixed racial groups without reporting on separate data for Black women in the UK, or where data on Black women could not be distinguished. Articles were also excluded if they referred to womb health conditions in general, without specificity to fibroids. Data extraction Data extraction was completed by two reviewers (ALK and PW) and checked by FR. A data extraction tool was developed to capture study characteristics, including author(s), year of publication, study design, study setting, sample size, participant demographics, and fibroid-related outcomes based on our core outcomes set. Data synthesis Characteristics of the included articles were summarised descriptively, and data were narratively synthesised. Relevant outcomes were synthesised using a framework analytical approach that involved mapping the outcomes identified during the extraction phase to the proposed framework and identifying gaps in the literature (Figure 1).

Overview of search results A total of 287 studies were retrieved from academic (n=286) and grey literature (n=1) sources. No additional studies were retrieved following citation searching. Of these, 29 were removed as duplicates. A further 243 were excluded from the remaining 258 studies after title and abstract screening, for not meeting the eligibility criteria, leaving 15 studies for full-text review. Full-text screening led to the exclusion of a further nine studies, leaving six studies at the end of the process (Figure 2). Overview of included studies Studies were conducted between 2014 and 2020 (2014, 14 2018, 15 2019, 12 2020, 13, 17 and 2021 16 ). There was one joint study between the UK and the USA. 12 Studies included two case reports, 16,17 one case-control study, 12 one randomised controlled trial, 13 one retrospective study, 14 and one prospective study 15 (Table 1). The sample size of studies ranged from 1 to 254. At least 275 women of African and/or Caribbean descent participated across all studies (excluding one 12 that did not report the proportion of women of Black ethnicity). No sub-group analysis of black ethnicity was observed across all studies. Summary of findings Aetiological, risk / protective factors Our review found some evidence in relation to the risk or protective factors for fibroids among Black women in the UK. This included one report on the genetic predispositions to fibroids, 12 and one report on the possible protective effects of Vitamin D on the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. 17 Utilising data from the electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) network in the US and the UK Biobank, Edwards et al. (2019) 12 identified 326 genome-wide significant variants across 11 loci specific to Black women (Table S1) . Eight previously reported loci were confirmed, and three novel loci were identified on chromosomes 1q24 (near DNM3 ), 16q12.1 ( HEATR3 ), and 20q13.1 ( LOC105372640 ). Notably, one of the previously identified loci, i.e., the CDC42/WNT4 locus, exhibited ancestry-specific effects, in that there was a significant increase in the odds for the rs10917151 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the locus for European Africans (who were largely represented by Black women from the UK). Genetically predicted gene expression analyses implicated genes such as LUZP1, OBFC1, NUDT13, and HEATR3 in fibroid risk for Black women. 12 The possible protective effect of Vitamin D on fibroids progression was documented in a case report by Judson and Messiou (2020) 17, in which the authors posited that while medical treatment (oestrogen suppression therapy) and monitoring of disease progression was provided to the reported case (a 36-year-old Afro-Caribbean British woman), a subsequent increase in the exposure of the patient to sunlight led to the remission of fibroid symptoms (Table S1 ) . Clinical presentation and diagnosis The clinical presentations of uterine fibroids was evidenced as rare complications in this review; one as a parasitic leiomyoma, 16 and the other as intravascular leiomyomas 17 (Table S1). In their case report, Stebbings et al. (2021) 16 described the case of a torsed parasitic leiomyoma in a 39-year-old Afro-Caribbean woman who presented with severe lower abdominal pain. Although some uterine fibroids were found in her initial scan by computerised tomography, a necrotic heavily calcified parasitic leiomyoma was subsequently identified as the major cause of her symptoms after an emergency diagnostic laparoscopy was conducted. Another rare presentation, in the form of intravascular leiomyomas, was reported by Judson and Messiou (2020) 17 of a 36-year-old woman, in which uterine tumours were found to have recurrently invaded the inferior vena cava, the right atrium, and pulmonary tissue. The diagnosis of uterine fibroids in this instance was by axial contrast enhanced computerised tomography. Treatment and disease management Treatment methods for uterine fibroids were reported in three studies 13,14,15 and include myomectomy (including laparoscopic myomectomy) 13,14,15 and uterine artery embolism (UAE) 13 (Table S1). Other aspects of treatment and disease management that were found in this review include the effects of treatment modalities on recovery time and patient quality of life, as well as the consideration of other related womb-health issues that could co-exist with uterine leiomyomas while offering surgical treatment. Manyonda et al. (2020) 14 compared myomectomy and uterine-artery embolisation for Black women with symptomatic uterine fibroids, especially for those who sought uterine preservation. Findings from their study suggested that myomectomy, resulted in a significantly better quality of life scores 2 years post-surgery, compared to UAE. Regarding the effectiveness of surgical treatment on recovery time and time to return to work, Huff et al. (2018) 15 reported the findings of a prospective observational study that examined the factors prolonging recovery beyond eight weeks after laparoscopic myomectomy. Notably, more than half of Black women in their study (54.76%) reported not returning to work within eight weeks post-surgery, compared to an earlier return to work (< 8 weeks) for Asian and Caucasian women. In their study, the authors suggest that the significantly higher mean number of fibroids removed from Black Caribbean and African women during surgical intervention (5.75 (1–22) compared to 2.59 (1–10) for Asian and Caucasian women) potentially contributed to the longer recovery times. Maclaran et al., (2014) 14 reported the co-existence of endometriosis with uterine fibroids among Black women in the UK seeking laparoscopic myomectomy, and suggested that this occurrence was not uncommon. Their report suggested that surgical treatments for uterine fibroids among Black women should consider the possibility for additional or more complex surgical procedures. Specifically, surgical treatment for concomitant endometriosis should be considered in patients with subfertility and pain undergoing myomectomy for uterine fibroids.

Main findings This scoping review mapped the available evidence in the UK regarding uterine fibroids among Black women. We identified six studies addressing three main aspects of interest on the topic: etiological and risk/protective factors, clinical presentation and diagnosis of the condition, and treatment/management of the condition. Across these three aspects, the primary focus from the included studies was on the genetic pre-dispositions and possible links between Vitamin D and uterine fibroids, rare presentations of the condition among black women, and the effectiveness of treatment modalities. Strengths and limitations of the study The primary strength of this review lies in its systematic approach to identifying studies and mapping the evidence. In particular, the use of our outcomes framework was helpful in identifying areas for future work, where gaps were identified. A major limitations of this scoping review is the lack of risk of bias appraisal, limiting the immediate use of its recommendations in generating or modifying clinical guidelines. Interpretation Many aspects of peer-reviewed literature on fibroids among Black women in the UK are significantly lacking. Compared to other geographical contexts with significantly high proportions of Black women, such as in North America, 18 there is less of a better understanding of fibroids among Black women in the UK, with even the available evidence significantly insufficient to make any concrete conclusions that inform effective social interventions. It is important to note that one of the potential reasons for this paucity in data for Black women could be as a result of the lack of disaggregation, or the generalisability thereof, in racial/ethnicity data or analyses from previous studies on uterine fibroids in the UK. Regarding aetiological risk/protective factors, although globally there are studies that confirm the strong genetic susceptibility of Black women to uterine fibroids, 19 the confirmation and discovery of particular chromosomes, genes, and loci in the extensive GWAS study by Edwards et al (2019) 12 remains the only available evidence, especially relevant to Black women in the UK mainly due to its significant reliance on data from the UK Biobank. This is, however, preliminary evidence that will require confirmation through studies that seek to further explore the genetic predispositions of Black women in the UK to uterine fibroids. To date, there has been only one other GWAS conducted among a Japanese population, 20 with no overlap in the details of genetic risk to Black women in our included study. One other risk factor for which we found evidence was relating to Vitamin D. Despite the case report from Judson and Messiou (2020) 17 being the only available evidence of a possible association between Vitamin D and uterine fibroids among Black women in the UK, many recent studies from outside the UK confirm Vitamin D as a modifiable risk factor. 21,22 Among Black women in the USA, for example, high concentrations of vitamin D have been shown to be associated with a decrease in fibroid development. 21 Another study among African women demonstrated that levels of plasma Vitamin D were significantly low among women with uterine fibroids. 22 Although there is an increased advocacy for Vitamin D supplementation, 21,23 there are currently no published reports on Vitamin D supplementation interventions or trials specific to women of Caribbean or African ancestry globally. Consensus therefore remains to be achieved on the effectiveness or potential impact of Vitamin D supplementation or environmental exposure, on the prevalence, progression and severity of uterine fibroids in Black women. Regarding clinical presentation and diagnosis, we found evidence of parasitic and intravascular leiomyomas in two case reports, representing rare presentations of the condition. However, globally, women of Caribbean and African ancestry are at a higher risk for severe and complicated fibroid presentations. 24 For example, in the USA, African American women have been shown to present with larger and greater numbers of UFs than white women, 25 with common presentations including abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pressure, bowel dysfunction, urinary frequency and urgency, urinary retention, low back pain, constipation, and dyspareunia. 24 Among Black women, however, there are wide variations in the presentation of the condition, 26,27 and this could potentially present in rare forms such as parasitic or intravascular leiomyomas. Parasitic leiomyomas, for example, have been reported more frequently among women in other non-white racial groups outside of the UK; 28,29. However, the evidence for the occurrence of rare presentations such as these remains inadequate for the Black population. In terms of diagnosis, although ultrasonography is the preferred method for imaging, many cases are discovered incidentally on clinical examination, 30 for e.g. with the use of computerised tomography scans, as evidenced from the case reports in this review. This may most likely be as a result of the late presentation of symptoms or challenges with access to timely diagnosis. 30 For treatment and disease management, our review identified two surgical options for the treatment of fibroids among women of Caribbean and African ancestry in the UK – laparoscopic myomectomy and uterine artery embolism, both minimally invasive techniques. While both methods are cited as available treatment options alongside traditional surgical methods such as open/abdominal myomectomy and hysterectomy or other pharmacological methods by the National Health Service (NHS) or the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE), 31 it appears that their use in medical practice in the UK remains limited. 32 It has been argued that although the number of gynaecologists in the UK who perform myomectomies have increased, these numbers still remain small. In addition, almost 40% of women still do have access to facilities offering uterine artery embolisation. 32 conversely, in other countries such as the USA, UAE has become a more popular option, being offered to as many as 3 times the number of Black women compared to white women. 33 Laparoscopic myomectomy on the other hand, despite being sometimes described as the “gold standard” in the UK, 32,34 also appears to remain limited in its application outside of the UK, i.e., in Europe and the USA. 34 Given the prospects associated with the adoption of these techniques, and ongoing efforts to develop newer and more improved techniques that are uterine-preservating and minimally/non-invasive, these surgical methods need to be promoted and assessed for improvements in their application, especially for Black women in the UK. The only study in our review on recovery time post-surgery, has provided evidence that it could take up to more than 8 weeks for full recovery after laparoscopic myomectomy. 15 Although we did not find any studies on the average recovery time after treatment by UAE, the evidence from outside the UK confirms that compared to Black women who are offered UAE, the recovery time after fibroid treatment using laparoscopic myomectomy lasts significantly longer. 35 Overall, there is a lack of studies outside of the UK that directly compare the quality of life of Black women after myomectomy or UAE, as demonstrated in the UK FEMME trial report 13 in our review. Although the findings from the FEMME trial suggest that myomectomy among Black women was associated with better quality of life outcomes 2 years post-surgery, some studies from North America (where race was not disaggregated) have demonstrated otherwise, showing that UAE and myomectomy resulted in similar long-term quality of life scores. 36 However, there is also some evidence from North America that shows that reintervention rates (experiencing further or subsequent surgical interventions) can be higher for women (including Black women) who experience UAE compared to women who experience myomectomy. 37 That potential in itself should be considered, as this could impact the long-term quality of life of Black patients. Our review also reported the consideration of therapies for endometriosis during surgical treatments for uterine fibroids, as one recent study has suggested that endometriosis is a potential co-morbidity which may be found during surgeries for uterine leiomyomas. 38 Besides this evidence, there have been no other studies outside of the UK that have assessed the relationship between endometriosis and uterine fibroids in relation to surgical therapies for the latter. Literature on the co-existence or relationship between uterine fibroids and other womb health conditions has not been cited to warrant the consideration of the possibility of treating a co-diagnosis. However, given that this review has identified this as a potentially significant finding for Black women in the UK, our finding requires further investigation. Implications for future research When considering the overall evidence for fibroids among Black women in the UK, there remain several aspects of considerable uncertainty that need to be addressed. As demonstrated by this review, the available evidence remains scant; therefore, all aspects of our outcomes framework require further research to be addressed. These aspects include: epidemiological outcomes such as prevalence of the condition and its geographical distribution and temporal patterns in the UK, etiological and risk/protective factors, including gene-environment interactions and their individual and combined contributions to fibroids in the UK, clinical presentations and diagnostic methods, treatment modalities and disease management outcomes, and the separate impacts of the condition and its treatment on reproduction and fertility, quality of life, symptom severity, health equity and access, economic costs, and public health and policy, including screening and early detection and effective public health campaigns. Research on patient experiences must be prioritised, as this ensures that future interventions are relevant and effective . Implications for practice and policy Although the evidence base is sparse, several significant implications can be highlighted based on the available research. Clinically, practitioners should actively discuss and offer minimally invasive surgical options, respecting patient preferences for uterine preservation. Clinicians should also be vigilant in considering differential diagnoses, especially for Black women who present with atypical abdominal pain. Routine assessment of vitamin D status, particularly for women at risk for deficiency, could also be integrated into clinical practice. Funding for targeted research will strengthen the evidence base to inform clinical guidelines, e.g. from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on fibroid management for Black women in the UK.

This scoping review confirms the scarcity of focused research among women of Caribbean and African descent in the UK. The limited available findings, however, point to genetic predispositions and the potential role of modifiable factors like vitamin D. While treatment options exist, the review highlights areas where consensus remains necessary, including optimal surgical approaches, long-term effects of surgical treatment, and post-operative outcomes. To strengthen the evidence base for clinical guidelines and improve outcomes for Black women, further research to address the key gaps identified are necessary. While research specifically focused on Black women in the UK is recommended, the practice of also using disaggregated race/ethnicity data in uterine fibroid research that captures the specifics of the condition among Black women is encouraged. Author contributions FR and ALK conceived the study. ALK, PW, ME, and LA-M performed the data search. ALK and PW did the data extraction with FR providing guidance. ALK and AB-T were involved in the development of the framework used for data synthesis and ALK analysed the data with guidance from AB-T. All authors participated in writing the article, and reviewed and approved the final version before submission. Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

1. Michel, R., Nicholson, W. K., & Borahay, M. A. (2024). The fibroid crisis in Black women: more work to be done! American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology . 2. Baird, D. D., Dunson, D. B., Hill, M. C., Cousins, D., & Schectman, J. M. (2003). High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 188 (1), 100–107. 3. Jefferies, K., Bland, L., Oladimeji, B., Rothfus, M., Etowa, J., Alleyne, A., … & Stirling-Cameron, E. (2024). Uterine fibroids and Black people of African descent globally: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open, 14 (8), e085622. 4. Eltoukhi, H. M., Modi, M. N., Weston, M., Armstrong, A. Y., & Stewart, E. A. (2014). The health disparities of uterine fibroid tumors for African American women: a public health issue. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 210 (3), 194-199. 5. Wise, L. A., Palmer, J. R., Stewart, E. A., Rosenberg, L., & Adams-Campbell, L. L. (2005). Age-specific incidence rates for self-reported uterine leiomyomata in the Black Women’s Health Study. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 105 (3), 563-568. 6. Charifson, M., Vieira, D., Shaw, J., Kehoe, S., & Quinn, G. P. (2023). Why are Black individuals disproportionately burdened with uterine fibroids and how are we examining the disparity? A systematic review. Current Problems in Cardiology, 48 (3), 101530. 7. MBRRACE-UK, 2023 8. Arksey, H., & O’Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8 (1), 19-32. 9. Tricco, A. C., Lillie, E., Zarin, W., O’Brien, K. K., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., … & Straus, S. E. (2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): checklist and explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169 (7), 467-473. 10. Peters, M. D., Godfrey, C. M., Khalil, H., McInerney, P., Parker, D., & Soares, C. B. (2020). Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 18 (9), 1829-1834. 11. Kwansa AL, Anumba D, Ruddock F, Banke-Thomas A (2025) Uterine Fibroids Among Women of Caribbean and African Descent/Ancestry in the UK: A Scoping Review. doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/QYCBP 12. Edwards, T. L., Giri, A., Hellwege, J. N., Hartmann, K. E., Stewart, E. A., Jeff, J. M., … & Velez Edwards, D. R. (2019). A Trans-Ethnic Genome-Wide Association Study of Uterine Fibroids. Frontiers in Genetics, 10, 511. 13. Manyonda, I., Belli, A. M., Lumsden, M. A., Moss, J., McKinnon, W., Middleton, L. J., … & FEMME Collaborative Group. (2020). Uterine-Artery Embolization or Myomectomy for Uterine Fibroids. The New England Journal of Medicine, 383 (5), 440-451. 14. Maclaran, K., Agarwal, N., & Odejinmi, F. (2014). Co-existence of uterine myomas and endometriosis in women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy: risk factors and surgical implications. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, 21 (6), 1086-1090. 15. Huff, K. O., Aref-Adib, M., Magama, Z., Vlachodimitropoulou, E. K., Oliver, R., & Odejinmi, F. (2018). Returning to work after laparoscopic myomectomy: a prospective observational study. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 97 (1), 68-73. 16. Stebbings, C., Latif, A., & Gnananandan, J. (2021). Torsion of a parasitic leiomyoma: a rare but important differential in women presenting with lower abdominal pain. BMJ Case Reports, 14 (1), e232797. 17. Judson, I., & Messiou, C. (2020). Vitamin D deficiency in the pathogenesis of leiomyoma and intravascular leiomyomatosis: A case report and review of the literature. Gynecologic Oncology Reports, 35, 100681. 18. Al-Hendy, A., Myers, E., & Stewart, E. (2017). Uterine Fibroids: Burden and Unmet Medical Need. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 35, 473 - 480. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0037-1607264. 19. Keaton, J., Jasper, E., Hellwege, J., Jones, S., Torstenson, E., Edwards, T., & Edwards, D. (2021). Evidence that geographic variation in genetic ancestry associates with uterine fibroids. Human genetics, 140, 1433 - 1440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00439-021-02322-y. 20. Cha, P., Takahashi, A., Hosono, N., Low, S., Kamatani, N., Kubo, M., & Nakamura, Y. (2011). A genome-wide association study identifies three loci associated with susceptibility to uterine fibroids. Nature Genetics, 43, 447-450. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.805. 21. Baird, D., Hill, M., Schectman, J., & Hollis, B. (2013). Vitamin D and the Risk of Uterine Fibroids. Epidemiology, 24, 447–453. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0b013e31828acca0. 22. Tunau, K., Garba, J., Panti, A., Shehu, C., Adamu, A., Abdulrahman, M., & Ahmad, M. (2021). Low plasma vitamin D as a predictor of uterine fibroids in a nigerian population. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 28, 181 - 186. https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_495_21. 23. Harmon, Q., Patchel, S., Denslow, S., LaPorte, F., Cooper, T., Wise, L., Wegienka, G., & Baird, D. (2022). Vitamin D and uterine fibroid growth, incidence, and loss: a prospective ultrasound study. Fertility and sterility . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.08.851. 24. Sefah, N., Ndebele, S., Prince, L., Korasare, E., Agbleke, M., Nkansah, A., Thompson, H., Al-Hendy, A., & Agbleke, A. (2023). Uterine fibroids — Causes, impact, treatment, and lens to the African perspective. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.1045783. 25. Stewart, E., Nicholson, W., Bradley, L., & Borah, B. (2013). The burden of uterine fibroids for African-American women: results of a national survey. Journal of women’s health, 22 10, 807-16 . https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2013.4334. 26. Murji, A., Bedaiwy, M., Singh, S., & Bougie, O. (2019). Influence of Ethnicity on Clinical Presentation and Quality of Life in Women With Uterine Fibroids: Results From a Prospective Observational Registry. Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d’obstetrique et gynecologie du Canada : JOGC . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2019.10.031. 27. Goosby, B., Winkle-Wagner, R., & Zhang, A. (2024). The Uterus Keeps the Score: Black Women Academics’ Insights and Coping with Uterine Fibroids. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 66, 212 - 227. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221465241268434. 28. Zoghby, S., Keriakos, K., Daou, S., & Darido, J. (2019). A Case Report with Literature Review: Parasitic Leiomyoma. Journal of Cancer Therapy . https://doi.org/10.4236/jct.2019.101003. 29. Kyabaambu, C., Nzingoula, B., Diani, A., Benzalim, M., & Alj, S. (2024). Parasitic Leiomyoma, A Less Well Known Entity: A Case Report. Scholars Journal of Medical Case Reports . https://doi.org/10.36347/sjmcr.2024.v12i05.003. 30. De La Cruz, M., & Buchanan, E. (2017). Uterine Fibroids: Diagnosis and Treatment. American family physician, 95 2, 100-107 . 31. National Health Service [Internet], England. Fibroids Treatment, [Cited 2025 Sep 4]. Available from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fibroids/treatment/. 32. Mallick, R., & Odejinmi, F. (2017). Treating symptomatic uterine fibroids with myomectomy: current practice and views of UK consultants. Gynecological Surgery, 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10397-017-1033-1. 33. Srinivas, T., Lulseged, B., Attari, M., Borahay, M., & Weiss, C. (2024). Patient Characteristics Associated with Embolization vs Hysterectomy for Uterine Fibroids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2023.12.018. 34. Herrmann, A., & De Wilde, R. (2014). Laparoscopic myomectomy—The gold standard. Gynecology and Minimally Invasive Therapy, 3, 31-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.GMIT.2014.02.001. 35. Wei, C., Sun, X., Li, S., Bai, X., & Jin, Y. (2025). Comparative efficacy of uterine artery embolization versus laparoscopic myomectomy in treating uterine fibroids: a propensity score matched analysis. Discover Oncology, 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-01737-7. 36. Anchan, R., Wojdyla, D., Bortoletto, P., Terry, K., Disler, E., Milne, A., Gargiulo, A., Petrozza, J., Brook, O., Srouji, S., Morton, C., Greenberg, J., Wegienka, G., Stewart, E., Nicholson, W., Thomas, L., Venable, S., Tommaso, S., Diamond, M., Maxwell, G., Marsh, E., Myers, E., Vines, A., Wise, L., Wallace, K., Jacoby, V., & Spies, J. (2023). A Comparative Analysis of Health-Related Quality of Life 1 Year Following Myomectomy or Uterine Artery Embolization: Findings from the COMPARE-UF Registry. Journal of women’s health . https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2022.0133. 37. Zaritsky, E., Mitro, S., Lee, C., Wise, L., Xu, F., & Hedderson, M. (2023). Long-Term Risk of Reintervention after Uterine Preserving Surgical Fibroid Treatments and Variation by Sociodemographic Factors. Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmig.2023.08.018. 38. Hemmings, R., Rivard, M., Olive, D., Poliquin-Fleury, J., Gagné, D., Hugo, P., & Gosselin, D. (2004). Evaluation of risk factors associated with endometriosis. Fertility and sterility, 81 6, 1513-21 . https://doi.org/10.1016/J.FERTNSTERT.2003.10.038. Supplementary Material File (table 1 for review.docx) - Download - 15.59 KB Information & Authors Information Version history Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License.

Authors Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 328views 156downloads Citations Download citation Faye Bruce, Albert Lawrence Kwansa, Dilly Anumba, et al. Uterine Fibroids Among Caribbean and African Women in the UK: A Scoping Review. Authorea. 13 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175774337.76248176/v1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175774337.76248176/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.