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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL UTERINE FIBROID AWARENESS MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, the month of July is recognized as Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month, a crucial time to shed light on a health condition that affects millions of women across the country; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation, more than 70% of US women will experience uterine fibroids, also called leiomyomas or myomas, by 50 years of age and they are the most common reason, aside from cancer, that women have their uterus removed through hysterectomy, but for Black women that rate is over 80%. Overall, uterine fibroids become more common, from age 30 to menopause, but Black women develop fibroids at a younger age, have more severe symptoms and develop higher rates of complications; and
WHEREAS, it is estimated that 26,000,000 women between the ages of 15 and 50 have uterine fibroids, and 25-50% of women with uterine fibroids are symptomatic and more likely to experience heavy and prolonged bleeding, bleeding between menstrual cycles, chronic pelvic pain among other symptoms; and
WHEREAS, Black women deserve access to high-quality and equitable health care for all maternal health needs, including the treatment of uterine fibroids, and an increased focus on education and advocacy on fibroids prevention, symptoms, treatment, and care as well as adequate insurance coverage are necessary to improve this aspect of Black women’s maternal health and fertility; and
WHEREAS, although fibroids are benign tumors, negative maternal health outcomes for Black women who experience them, including late detections of diagnoses, increased rates of surgery-related mortality, and increased rates of hysterectomies have persisted, in fact across the U.S., women of African ancestry are more likely to be offered hysterectomy as the only treatment; and
WHEREAS, Black women with fibroids of all socioeconomic statuses and education levels suffer from a lack of fibroids relief because of non-comprehensive and costly treatment plans, minimal insurance coverage for scans, and harmful, invasive removals; and
WHEREAS, Black women are diagnosed 3 times more than white women and at a younger age resulting in negative maternal health outcomes for Black women who experience them, including late detections of diagnoses, increased rates of surgery-related mortality, and increased rates of hysterectomies; and
WHEREAS, symptomatic uterine fibroids can cause reproductive problems, including infertility and women with uterine fibroids are much more likely to miscarry during early pregnancy than women without them, 61% of women are unaware of treatment options for fibroids; and
WHEREAS, this Honorable Body wishes to raise awareness, education, and support, to empower individuals to seek timely medical advice and improve health outcomes related to uterine fibroids by promoting National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month in Cook County;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the more than 5.2 million residents of Cook County, do hereby take this opportunity to acknowledge National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in conjunction with National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month that the month of July 2025 be hereby declared as National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month in the County of Cook; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body in recognition of National Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month.
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