The Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in the Development, Growth, and Severity of Uterine Fibroids Among Black Women: Implications for Prevention and Clinical Management

Background: Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are the most common benign gynecologic tumors in women of reproductive age with disproportionately high rates in Black women who have an estimated cumulative lifetime rate of 80–90% by the age of 50. The lower levels of cutaneous synthesis are associated with deep melanin pigmentation with socioeconomic and environmental factors which makes black women highly vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency. New mechanistic and epidemiological studies identify vitamin D as a controller of cellular proliferation, extracellular matrix remodeling, and hormone-controlled signaling in uterine tissue.  Data Collection Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out, which assessed the relationship between serum vitamin D levels, and prevalence and severity of uterine fibroids in 312 women of reproductive age (25 to 45 years old) that were visiting three urban gynecology clinics between January 2018 and December 2024. The levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were compared in 186 ultrasound or MRI-proven women with uterine fibroids and 126 age-matched controls. The statistical tests and adjusted on confounders in the study included independent t-tests, chi-square tests, logistic regression, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression.