Across the United States, a safer, uterus-sparing treatment for fibroids remains out of reach for many women of color and those with lower incomes. Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive alternative to hysterectomy and myomectomy, yet a new analysis finds it “was underutilized with significant disparities across socioeconomic factors.”
A team led by Dr. Tarig Elhakim at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed 271,885 hospital encounters for uterine fibroids between 2016 and 2022. While nearly three-quarters of patients underwent hysterectomy and 23% had myomectomy, only 3.5% received UFE. This is despite evidence that, compared with surgery, UFE “is a shorter procedure, does not require general anesthesia, has faster recovery, has fewer complications, and costs less,” and can shrink fibroids by 42% in three months while “potentially preserving fertility.”
The study’s racial and ethnic breakdown underscores who is most affected by fibroids—and who is missing out on less invasive care. African American patients made up 38.9% of the cohort, Hispanics 18%, and Asian or Pacific Islander patients 5.9%, compared with 31.8% who were white. African American patients were more likely than white women to receive UFE instead of hysterectomy, but less likely to receive UFE than myomectomy, while Hispanic patients were less likely to undergo UFE than either surgery. Rural patients were significantly less likely to get UFE than hysterectomy, whereas urban hospitals were far more likely to offer the procedure.
The authors urge efforts to boost public awareness and ensure UFE access “equitably across the nation,” so that all women with fibroids can “explore all treatment options.”
See: “Disparities persist in UFE access, utilization” (September 16, 2025)
