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Symptoms of uterine myomas: data of an epidemiological study in Germany

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Currently, no reliable data are available concerning the type and frequency of symptoms in premenopausal women with uterine myomas.

Methods

2296 women were examined by means of vaginal ultrasound for the presence of myomas in seven gynaecological outpatient departments in Germany. From this population, 1314 premenopausal women between the ages of 30 and 55 years were evaluated to determine the type and frequency of myoma-related symptoms and their relationship to anamnestic factors, and the number, size, and location of the myomas. Standardised questionnaires were used to record the symptoms.

Results

Prevalence: In almost every second premenopausal woman (n = 639; 48.6%), uterine myomas were diagnosed. The frequency of myomas increased continuously with age and was highest in women between 46 and 50 years (65.2%). Age itself was found to be the main risk factor for the presence of myomas (p < 0.001). Symptoms: 54.3% (n = 347) of the women suffered from myoma-related symptoms. The four main symptoms were identified as: Heavy menstrual bleeding (40.7%), dysmenorrhoea (28.2%), lower abdominal pain (14.9%), and intermenstrual bleeding (14.1%). In the majority of cases, the symptoms occurred simultaneously. Determinants for symptoms: Symptoms did not follow a clear age-related trend, whilst the number and size of the myomas did determine the presence of symptoms. The main influencing factor for the presence of intermenstrual bleeding was the location of the myomas.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of uterine myomas highlights the importance of the diagnosis uterine myomas in standard gynaecological practice: The presence of only one myoma caused symptoms in 46.5% and small myomas of up to 2 cm in diameter resulted in symptoms in 39.5%.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MVZ PAN Institut für Endokrinologie und Reproduktionsmedizin, Zeppelinstr. 1, 50667, Cologne, Germany

    Dolores Foth

  2. Institut für Biometrie und Medizinische Informatik (IBMI), Medizinische Fakultät der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany

    Friedrich-Wilhelm Röhl & Ann Kitay

  3. Frauenarztpraxis, Schalaunische Straße 6-7, 06366, Köthen (Anhalt), Germany

    Cornelia Friedrich

  4. Praxis für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, Leipziger Straße 45B, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany

    Heike Tylkoski

  5. Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Voßstr. 9, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany

    Thomas Rabe

  6. Klinik für Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe, EVK Köln-Weyertal, Weyertal 76, 50931, Cologne, Germany

    Thomas Römer

  7. Praxis für Frauenheilkunde und Klinische Forschung, Halberstädter Str. 122, 39112, Magdeburg, Germany

    Hans-Joachim Ahrendt

Authors
  1. Dolores Foth
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  2. Friedrich-Wilhelm Röhl
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  3. Cornelia Friedrich
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  4. Heike Tylkoski
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  5. Thomas Rabe
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  6. Thomas Römer
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  7. Ann Kitay
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  8. Hans-Joachim Ahrendt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dolores Foth.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The data were collected between 01/12/2011 and 31/03/2013 in seven representative gynaecological practice offices in Germany: Ahrendt, Magdeburg; Tylkoski, Magdeburg; Friedrich, Köthen; Szczes, Braunschweig; Lesny, Hamburg; Reindl, Magdeburg; and Schmidt-Pich and Partner, Hannover.

Ethical standards

The study has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee (Ethics Committee of Saxony-Anhalt) and has, therefore, been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. All persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study.

Additional information

In memory of Prof. Hans-Joachim Ahrendt.

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Foth, D., Röhl, FW., Friedrich, C. et al. Symptoms of uterine myomas: data of an epidemiological study in Germany. Arch Gynecol Obstet 295, 415–426 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4239-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-016-4239-y

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