The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is proud to support the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2021, which was introduced by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY). Women suffering from uterine fibroids in America has reached epidemic proportions, and Black women suffer at higher rates and more severely from this condition.
The proposed legislation aims to initiate crucial research and education in relation to uterine fibroids, including reducing racial disparities in outcomes for patients with uterine fibroids and ensuring women get the information and care they need. An estimated 80% of Black women are diagnosed with uterine fibroids during their lifetime. Studies have shown that Black women are two to three times more likely to have fibroids, encounter symptoms at younger ages, and are more likely to be treated with hysterectomies, compared to their white counterparts. Complications from uterine fibroids can lead to maternal mortality and morbidity, an ongoing crisis, especially for Black women. Despite being the most common gynaecological condition, there is a lack of awareness and prioritization of uterine fibroids as an important health issue.
“There is a critical need for more research regarding uterine fibroids and the burden it places on various racial and ethnic groups. For Black women, uterine fibroids are a health threat that requires urgent attention in research, community resources, and increased treatment options that preserve fertility. We also need to collect data to develop more effective interventions and evaluate therapies, especially among Black women who are disproportionately and more severely impacted by uterine fibroids. That is why the BWHI supports the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2021 introduced by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY). This legislation will increase NIH funding focused on uterine fibroid research and lead to new evidence-based treatments and cures for women of color,” said Linda Goler Blount, President and CEO of BWHI.
Improving awareness of uterine fibroids is a health equity issue and a significant priority for Black women’s health. BWHI supports this critical legislation particularly around a key health policy issue impacting Black women and girls, and this event is designed to provide an opportunity for Black women to engage in critical policy discussions. BWHI will continue to seek meaningful solutions that can impact and improve the well-being of Black women.
About Black Women’s Health Imperative:
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice for Black women, across the lifespan, through policy, advocacy, education, research, and leadership development. The organization identifies the most pressing health issues that affect the nation’s 22 million Black women and girls and invests in the best of the best strategies and organizations that accomplish its goals. For more information, please visit www.bwhi.org.
