Knowing Fibroids: Tracing Medical Uncertainty

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Knowing Fibroids: Tracing Medical Uncertainty within Reproductive Care through Black Women’s Stories

Globally, fibroids impact up to 80% of women by age 50. Black women specifically experience higher disease severity and incidence. Women’s experiences in clinics are defined by delayed diagnoses, multiple doctor visits, and severe symptoms that impact daily life. I ask: What does our current scientific knowledge of fibroids suggest about approaches to women’s health in clinical care? How might Black women’s experiences lead us to broaden our understandings of fibroids? By integrating scientific literature on fibroids with interviews with Black women affected by fibroids, this talk reveals how knowledge about reproductive conditions is formed and how this impacts women. 

• Understanding disparities: Fibroids are highly prevalent, but Black women experience earlier onset, more severe symptoms, and greater health impacts.
• Recognizing gaps in care: Delays in diagnosis and inadequate treatment reflect systemic issues within clinical practice.
• Valuing lived experience: Patient stories—especially from Black women—highlight realities that clinical research alone often misses.
• Advancing more equitable care: Integrating scientific evidence with patient perspectives can lead to more holistic, culturally responsive, and effective women’s healthcare.

 This session is ideal for anyone interested in gaining an academic perspective on uterine fibroids and exploring ways to better support women’s health.