Putative Risk Factors among Ghanaian Women Presenting with Leiomyoma

Abstract

Aims: The objective of the current study was to investigate potential demographic, lifestyle, and medical history risk factors for leiomyoma in a sample of Ghanaian women. Study Design: A case-control study was conducted among women who attended the Gynecology department of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana. Place and Duration of Study: The study took place between May 2005 and March 2009 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi. Methodology: Premenopausal Ghanaian women aged 20-40 years were studied for the role of putative socio-demographic, lifestyle, and medical history risk factors in the development of leiomyoma. Two hundred women with confirmed uterine fibroids and two hundred women with no observable fibroids were recruited as controls for the study. Results: Family history (OR 2.21, 95% CI:2.21-5.9) and obesity (OR 3.60, 95% CI:1.74-7.47), nulliparity (OR6.5, 95%CI:4.18-10.0), age at first birth (OR 2.82, 95%CI:1.60-4.98), induced abortion (OR 3.33, 95%CI:1.11-9.99), and history of sexually transmitted infections (OR 2.27, 95%CI:1.21-4.28), all greatly increased the risk of fibroids, not married (OR1.62, 95%CI:1.07-2.44), alcohol intake (OR1.69, 95%CI:1.13-2.53), and contraceptive use (OR1.66, 95%CI:1.11-2.46) also significantly increased the risk of fibroids. Conclusion: The results of this study describe the association of fibroids with specific lifestyle and medical history risk factors. The present study also revealed that past induced abortions is a significant risk factors for the development of leiomyoma among Ghanaian women.