Fibroids are very common. They are more common in African and South East Asian Women. They are less common in white women who have had babies. Nearly 50% of women who are reaching the menopause will have fibroids. We don’t know why women develop fibroids but they seem to grow under the influence of female hormones – oestrogen and progesterone. There seems to be a link to a woman’s genetics as we know they are more common in women from some countries. Fibroids do not grow before a woman starts getting her periods, so they certainly need hormones to grow. Fibroids shrink after menopause as a woman’s hormone levels start dropping. If a woman’s fibroids grow after menopause she needs to consult with a gynaecologist as this is not the natural history of fibroids and they must be further investigated.