OBJECTIVE: Uterine leiomyomata (UL) are a major contributor to gynecologic morbidity and medical costs, and black women are disproportionately affected by the condition. Previous studies have linked UL to psychosocial stress, including child abuse. We assessed the association between lifetime abuse victimization and UL among 9910 premenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Data were derived from the Black Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study. In 2005, participants reported their experiences of physical and sexual abuse within each life stage (childhood, adolescence, adulthood). Biennial follow-up questionnaires from 2005 through 2011 ascertained new UL diagnoses. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: There were 1506 incident UL cases diagnosed by ultrasound or surgery. UL incidence was higher among women who reported child abuse, particularly sexual abuse. Relative to no abuse across the life span, RRs were 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02-1.33) for physical abuse only, 1.34 (95% CI, 1.09-1.66) for sexual abuse only, and 1.17 (95% CI, 0.99-1.39) for both physical and sexual abuse in childhood. RRs for 1-3 and 4 or more incidents of child sexual abuse were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.04-1.61) and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.07-1.85), respectively, whereas the RRs for low, intermediate, and high frequencies of child physical abuse were 1.19, 1.04, and 1.23, respectively. The association was strongest for the highest category of child abuse severity (RR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.19-2.07). No associations were found for teen or adult abuse. CONCLUSION: In the present study, child sexual abuse was an independent risk factor for UL, supporting the hypothesis that childhood adversity increases UL risk.
OBJECTIVE: Uterine leiomyomata (UL) are a major contributor to gynecologic morbidity and medical costs, and black women are disproportionately affected by the condition. Previous studies have linked UL to psychosocial stress, including child abuse. We assessed the association between lifetime abuse victimization and UL among 9910 premenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Data were derived from the Black Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study. In 2005, participants reported their experiences of physical and sexual abuse within each life stage (childhood, adolescence, adulthood). Biennial follow-up questionnaires from 2005 through 2011 ascertained new UL diagnoses. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: There were 1506 incident UL cases diagnosed by ultrasound or surgery. UL incidence was higher among women who reported child abuse, particularly sexual abuse. Relative to no abuse across the life span, RRs were 1.16 (95% CI, 1.02-1.33) for physical abuse only, 1.34 (95% CI, 1.09-1.66) for sexual abuse only, and 1.17 (95% CI, 0.99-1.39) for both physical and sexual abuse in childhood. RRs for 1-3 and 4 or more incidents of childsexual abuse were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.04-1.61) and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.07-1.85), respectively, whereas the RRs for low, intermediate, and high frequencies of child physical abuse were 1.19, 1.04, and 1.23, respectively. The association was strongest for the highest category of child abuse severity (RR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.19-2.07). No associations were found for teen or adult abuse. CONCLUSION: In the present study, childsexual abuse was an independent risk factor for UL, supporting the hypothesis that childhood adversity increases UL risk.
Authors: Frederick P Rivara; Melissa L Anderson; Paul Fishman; Amy E Bonomi; Robert J Reid; David Carrell; Robert S Thompson Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2007-02 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: Maura K Whiteman; Elena Kuklina; Denise J Jamieson; Susan D Hillis; Polly A Marchbanks Journal: Am J Obstet Gynecol Date: 2010-02-04 Impact factor: 8.661
Authors: Amy E Bonomi; Melissa L Anderson; Frederick P Rivara; Elizabeth A Cannon; Paul A Fishman; David Carrell; Robert J Reid; Robert S Thompson Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2008-01-19 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: M D De Bellis; G P Chrousos; L D Dorn; L Burke; K Helmers; M A Kling; P K Trickett; F W Putnam Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 1994-02 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Lauren A Wise; Julie R Palmer; Bernard L Harlow; Donna Spiegelman; Elizabeth A Stewart; Lucile L Adams-Campbell; Lynn Rosenberg Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2004-06-24 Impact factor: 6.918
Authors: Alexandra E Shields; Lauren A Wise; Edward A Ruiz-Narvaez; Bobak Seddighzadeh; Hyang-Min Byun; Yvette C Cozier; Lynn Rosenberg; Julie R Palmer; Andrea A Baccarelli Journal: Epigenomics Date: 2016-09-13 Impact factor: 4.778
Authors: K C Schliep; Sunni L Mumford; Erica B Johnstone; C Matthew Peterson; Howard T Sharp; Joseph B Stanford; Zhen Chen; Uba Backonja; Maeve E Wallace; Germaine M Buck Louis Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2016-06-22 Impact factor: 6.918
Authors: Erica T Warner; Ying Zhang; Yue Gu; Tâmara P Taporoski; Alexandre Pereira; Immaculata DeVivo; Nicholas D Spence; Yvette Cozier; Julie R Palmer; Alka M Kanaya; Namratha R Kandula; Shelley A Cole; Shelley Tworoger; Alexandra Shields Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-10-30 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Alexandra E Shields; Yuankai Zhang; M Austin Argentieri; Erica T Warner; Yvette C Cozier; Chunyu Liu; Christian K Dye; Blake Victor Kent; Andrea A Baccarelli; Julie R Palmer Journal: Epigenomics Date: 2021-11-02 Impact factor: 4.778
Authors: Stephanie E Chiuve; Carrie Huisingh; Natalia Petruski-Ivleva; Charlotte Owens; Wendy Kuohung; Lauren A Wise Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2021-07-22 Impact factor: 3.710