July is Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month

July 2015 has been designated Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month. Uterine fibroids, noncancerous growths that can appear on the uterus and interfere with fertility, are more common in African-American and Hispanic women.

According to Dr. Jessica Shepherd, 75% of black women have fibroids by age 50. Symptoms include:

- heavy bleeding

- long time frames of periods

- urinary frequency or constipation

Fibroids can be treated medically or surgically. An ultrasound helps diagnose size and location.

For more information about fibroids, watch Dr. Shepherd talk about how to tell if fibroids may be harmful or affect fertility or what you should do about fibroids on the Dr. Oz show.