Amenata Botus-Isaac (right), underwent myomectomy, a surgery to remove her fibroids.

When it comes to her body, it’s a good thing Sharon Moultrie, 52, has a sense of humor.

For more than 12 years, Moultrie had been troubled by her inability to conceive a child. She knew that she experienced heavy bleeding during her periods. And she also had a sense that she might be infertile.

What she didn’t know was that she had uterine fibroids, the most common growths in the female pelvis. By some estimates, up to 80 percent of women develop fibroids before the age of 50, although only about 25 percent experience symptoms.

For the most part, uterine fibroids are benign. But they can take a heavy toll on a woman’s quality of life.

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Hysterectomies are not the only option

Angela Hofmann had no trouble asking questions.

At 47, she knew her body and wanted to know why she was experiencing problems during her menstrual cycle, problems that worsened over the last seven years.

It was the answers that bothered her.

For starters, her doctors told her that she had uterine fibroids. Though benign, they were the cause of excessive bleeding and the protrusion in her stomach. The pain and discomfort were often too much to handle.

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