DALLAS, TEXAS (July 2021): To raise awareness of uterine fibroids as the most prevalent and costly health issue affecting women, the Dallas City Council joined two U.S. cities and nine U.S. states to declare July as Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month. Dr. Suzanne Slonim championed the declaration of July as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month to both City of Dallas and Texas state legislators.
“Fibroid treatment is at the intersection of healthcare equity and racial justice,” said Dr. Suzanne Slonim, fibroid expert, author, speaker, founder and medical director of Fibroid Institute Dallas. She continued, “Since Latina and Black women are two to three times more likely to suffer from fibroids, and fibroids cost women, their families, and places of business billions in lost work time and medical procedures, addressing this women’s health issue has the potential to help women of color save billions of dollars each year.”
July is Fibroid Awareness Month in three cities and nine states, including: California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Texas will soon join those states through Texas House Bill 1966. The bill designates July as Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month. House Bill 1967 will provide improved Uterine Fibroid Education and Research. Both bills have been passed by the governor and will be enacted on September 1, 2021.
“Dallas is proud to increase the well-being of residents and advance women’s health,” said Dallas District 9 Council Member Paula Blackmon, a member of the Workforce, Education and Equity Committee and the only woman in the Dallas Council’s Latinx Caucus. “By destigmatizing gynecological health, we can help women gain access to resources and care to prevent the pain, suffering and stress caused by uterine fibroids.”
About Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids—benign tumors in the uterus—affect three out of four women, most often between 30 and 50 years of age. Fibroids can cause pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, urinary frequency, back pain, and reproductive dysfunction including miscarriage, early labor, and infertility.
Each year in the United States, almost $8 billion is spent on obstetric outcomes attributed to fibroids. Uterine fibroids cost women in the U.S. more than $17 billion annually through absenteeism and short-term disability.
Approximately 80 percent of Black women and 70 percent of White women will suffer from uterine fibroids by the age of 50. Additionally, Black women are affected at a disproportionately earlier age, are almost 7 times more likely to undergo fibroid surgery and have a 2.4 times increased chance of undergoing a hysterectomy.
Support from Physicians
Local physicians want to highlight that America is in a public health crisis and Dallas is showing leadership in addressing the most prevalent and costly health issue affecting women—uterine fibroids. Because information is elusive, many women do not know the source of their symptoms, and most are not aware of several options for treatment.
“The Dallas City Council’s proclamation of July as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month is the first step toward destigmatizing gynecological health conversations so more women can become informed about possible solutions,” said Jessica Shepherd MD, MBA, FACOG of Sanctum Med + Wellness.
Andrea Arguello, MD, FACOG of MacArthur OBGYN said, “It is imperative to prioritize resources for research, treatment, and prevention of fibroids and to support a readily available, comprehensive, organized source of information about fibroid risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic techniques, and treatment options.”
“Fibroid awareness is not a political issue. It is a critical medical, social, and financial issue that disproportionately affects women of color. The exciting news is that the Dallas City Council recognized this, catalyzing conversations that lead to solutions,” said Suzanne Slonim, MD, FSIR of Fibroid Institute Dallas.
Uterine Fibroids Awareness programs are also encouraged by national organizations including The White Dress Project, Black Women’s Health Imperative, and The Fibroid Foundation.
Click here to read the full proclamation from the City of Dallas.
For more information about uterine fibroids contact Fibroid Institute Dallas at 12840 Hillcrest Road, Suite E104, Dallas, TX 75230, 214-838-6440 or visit FibroidFree.com.