How serious are fibroids in the uterus?

Fibroids are muscle growths in the wall of the uterus that are mostly benign, says Womenshealth.gov. The chance of fibroids being cancerous is one in 1000. A fibroid may be one tumor or multiple tumors in the uterus.

The size of growths varies, ranging from the size of a seed to the size of a grapefruit, notes Womenshealth.gov. Treatment differs based on each woman’s medical condition and may include pain medication, exercise, birth control and surgery. Up to 80 percent of women are affected with fibroids by the age of 50, reports WebMD. Symptoms include pressure on the bladder, frequent urination, back pain, stomach pain and rectal issues.