Uterine fibroids increase your risk of heart disease

This large US study found that women diagnosed with uterine fibroids were about 2.5 times more likely to develop heart disease within 1 year and about 1.8 times more likely over 10 years compared to similar women without fibroids.

What was studied: Over 2.7 million women (18-50) in a US insurance database (data collected 2000–2022, published 2026), comparing those with vs. without a fibroid diagnosis over up to 22 years.

How they accounted for differences: Used statistical weighting to balance the two groups on age, race, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and other factors before comparing heart disease rates.

Important caveats: The study only included commercially insured women, and because women with fibroids tend to see doctors more often, some of the heart disease identified may reflect more frequent doctor visits rather than true biological risk.

Bottom line: The association is large, consistent, and robust to multiple sensitivity checks. While the study cannot prove causation and further validation is needed before fibroids are formally listed as a risk factor, the evidence strongly supports closer cardiovascular monitoring for women diagnosed with fibroids.