It's Fibroid Awareness Month and this is an important topic to have front and center in your listening feed!

Originally Published April 2025

Uterine Fibroids: What You’re Not Being Told About Your Treatment Options

Uterine fibroids affect up to 80% of women by age 50, yet most are not given the full range of treatment options. In this episode, I speak with leading fibroid experts—including minimally invasive surgeons, interventional radiologists, and advocates—to unpack the medical, financial, and structural reasons why hysterectomy is so often pushed as the default solution.

Whether you’re trying to preserve fertility, manage chronic pain, or simply want to know what questions to ask at your next appointment, this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 What We Cover in This Episode

• What uterine fibroids are and who they affect most
• The different types of fibroid treatment (UFE, myomectomy, hormonal therapy, hysterectomy)
• Why UFE is still underutilized despite being a first-line treatment
• How reimbursement structures impact the care women receive
• How to prepare for your appointment and advocate for yourself
• What a true multidisciplinary care model looks like
• The connection between fibroid care and larger women’s health equity issues

💬 Expert Guests Featured

• Dr. Jessica Opoku-Anane – Minimally Invasive GYN Surgeon, Columbia
• Dr. Marc Schiffman – Co-Executive Director, Weill Cornell Medicine Fibroid Center
• Tanika Gray Valbrun – Founder, The White Dress Project and fibroid awareness advocate

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Ask about all options before agreeing to surgery
• Consider seeing a center that includes interventional radiologists and minimally invasive surgeons
• Your experience and symptoms are valid—even if you’ve been told “it’s normal”
• Tracking your symptoms before appointments helps you get better care
• Insurance coverage and doctor training gaps often limit what gets recommended

Resources:

• What Your Doctor Might Not be Telling You about Fibroid Treatment: https://fempowerhealth.beehiiv.com/p/uterine-fibroids-treatment-options-beyond-hysterectomy
• Hysterectomy Unveiled: What your Doctors Don't Always Tell You: https://fempowerhealth.beehiiv.com/p/hysterectomy-informed-consent-womens-health

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**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

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