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TO DECLARE JULY 2017 AS "FIBROID AWARENESS MONTH" IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS OF THE PALMETTO STATE TO BECOME INFORMED ABOUT THIS PERVASIVE WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE.
Whereas, because of its interest in fostering the health and well-being of all its citizens, the State of South Carolina recognizes the necessity for a conscientious commitment to advancing women's health. Uterine fibroids constitute the most common threat to women's reproductive health today, making heightened awareness concerning this disease critical for the people of this great State, most especially its female citizens; and
Whereas, uterine fibroids, clinically known as uterine leiomyomas, are the most common benign tumors in the uterus and the single most common indication for hysterectomy; and
Whereas, the overall incidence of uterine leiomyomas is estimated to be three to four times higher in African-American women than it is in Caucasian women. Three out of four women will have uterine fibroids during their lives, and by age fifty up to eighty percent of women will be affected by uterine fibroids; and
Whereas, fibroids may cause significant morbidity through their presence in the uterus and pelvic cavity. These benign tumors are a significant cause of pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, and reproductive dysfunction. African-American women experience uterine fibroids at a rate three to five times that of the female population, a higher rate than that of any other ethnic group; and
Whereas, in the United States, uterine fibroids are the leading cause of hysterectomy and, consequently, the loss of reproductive potential, and nearly half of all hysterectomies are performed to address uterine fibroids; and
Whereas, only a few years ago in the United States, obstetric outcomes attributed to fibroid tumors resulted in a cost of $238 million to $7.76 billion annually, and uterine fibroid tumors were estimated to cost the United States $5.9 to $34.4 billion annually. The nation spends over $5 billion annually on hysterectomy procedures, and an estimated $1.6 to $17.2 billion is lost through absenteeism and short-term disability in women ages twenty-five to fifty-four; and
Whereas, the establishment of health seminars, funding opportunities, medical information panels, and community programs would empower and inform residents of this State about uterine fibroids and would encourage earlier diagnosis, more research, better treatment options, and an eventual cure for uterine fibroids. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, declare July 2017 as "Fibroid Awareness Month" in South Carolina and encourage all citizens of the Palmetto State to become informed about this pervasive women's health issue.
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