Survey Reveals US Women Lack Basic Knowledge About Uterine Health

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — A significant percentage of U.S. women lack an awareness of uterine health, including uterine fibroid symptoms and treatment options, according to a survey commissioned by Hologic, Inc., a medical technology firm focused on women’s health.

Uterine fibroids are very common, affecting up to 80% of women by the age of 50. Despite how common the condition is, the survey found that 48% of U.S. women are unaware that a hysterectomy is not the only way to treat uterine fibroids.

Additionally, the survey revealed that just over half of U.S. women (51%) are unaware that uterine fibroids are not a form of cancer.

“These survey results confirm that despite the significant number of women impacted by uterine fibroids, there remain many who are unaware of the treatment options available to them,” said Essex Mitchell, president of Hologic’s surgical division, in a written statement. 

“There is a sizable knowledge gap when it comes to overall uterine health, including symptoms and treatment options for common issues like uterine fibroids,” he said.

In addition:

• Less than half of U.S. women (49%) are aware that uterine fibroids do not always cause painful symptoms.
• Less than half of U.S. women (47%) are aware that uterine fibroids do not always cause infertility.
• Less than half of U.S. women (48%) are confident they could identify the five major parts of the uterus.
• Less than half of U.S. women (47%) are confident they could identify the difference between fibroids, polyps and cysts.

The survey also shed light on experiences with heavy menstrual bleeding and its impact on daily life, as roughly two thirds of U.S. women (66%) say their menstrual period has impacted their day-to-day life, and nearly half (49%) say they have leaked through their clothing.

Additionally, nearly a third of U.S. women reported being embarrassed to discuss their menstrual bleeding or pain with others.

Given that many symptoms of uterine fibroids can be confused for common menstrual period issues, it’s imperative that women feel comfortable talking about these issues with their health care providers, Mitchell said.

In response to its findings, Hologic launched a campaign, called “Hey, U!” to provide physicians and their patients with resources to help identify and treat the symptoms of uterine fibroids.

The campaign features a digital destination, KnowYourU, where women and clinicians can access a comprehensive library of tools and resources on everything from overall uterine health to more specific fibroid-focused content. 

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Hologic from May 10 to 12, 2022, among 997 female U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +2.8 percentage points using a 95% confidence interval. 

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue.