Vitamin D deficiency in black women with uterine fibroids

Uterine leiomyomas are benign tumors of the uterus that are composed of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts and are rich in extracellular matrix. Leiomyomas are often associated with pelvic pain or pressure, menorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, miscarriage and infertility, and are one of the leading indications for hysterectomy. Vitamin D is a hormone with anti-proliferative and anti-fibrotic effects that have been found to inhibit the growth of human uterine leiomyoma cells. In vitro studies have shown that myometrial tissue are sensitive target organs for vitamin D, and that their cell growth is effectively inhibited by physiologic vitamin D concentrations.
Source: American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Category: OBGYN Authors: Source Type: research