Program

Nurse-Midwifery M.S.

Number of Pages

39

Year Approved

2023

First Advisor

Wu, Katrina

Second Reader

Julie Ann Vingers

Abstract

Introduction: Uterine fibroids (UF) affect at least 1 in 4 adult women and are the most frequent type of tumor affecting the female reproductive organs of women of reproductive age. This integrative review will examine alternative methods used to manage symptomatic uterine fibroids to determine if they could be effective alternatives to invasive procedures. Methods: The official methodology was conducted using the CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases to identify relevant original research for inclusion. Articles were included if they were original research studies published between 2002-2023, written in English, and discussed integrative options for preventing and treating uterine fibroids. Citation searching served as a secondary search method. A matrix was completed, and quality was analyzed using the Johns Hopkins Appraisal Tool. Results: This integrative review includes eight studies on Traditional Chinese Medicine, two on lifestyle modification, and eight on supplementation. Daily supplementation with vitamin D, vitamin B6, and ECGC demonstrated a significant decrease in the volume and symptoms of uterine fibroids, improved anemia, and had positive effects on quality of life. This research found that Traditional Chinese Medicine was associated with a decrease in uterine fibroid-related symptoms, decreased risk of developing fibroids, and a reduction in fibroid size and volume. A sample size of 21 studies was concluded in this research. Discussions: The studies identified in this integrative review consistently demonstrated the potential positive impact integrative therapies of various modalities can have on uterine fibroid management with minimal to no risks. The overall recommendation is that additional, well-designed clinical trials with larger sample sizes and of higher quality be undertaken.

Degree Name

M.S. Nurse-Midwifery

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

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