What are uterine fibroids?

Uterine Fibroids, or uterine myomas (short for leiomyoma), are benign (that is not cancerorus) tumors arising from the myometrium (muscle layer) of the uterus 

Uterine fibroids are tumors made of connective tissue and smooth muscle. They grow slowly within the wall of the uterus or attach to the uterine wall. The uterus is the muscular organ at the top of the vagina. Babies develop in the uterus, and menstrual blood comes from the uterus.

They affect more than 30% of women.

A uterine fibroid may be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit. As the fibroid grows, the uterus may become enlarged deformed or pushed aside. Most fibroids are noncancerous, but in some rare cases they may become cancerous.

Other terms used for a uterine fibroid are leiomyoma or myoma of the uterus.