AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acessa Health Inc., developer of the Acessa System®, announced today it is honoring Uterine Fibroid Awareness Month by partnering with The White Dress Project, a nonprofit group that promotes fibroid awareness and advocacy, to launch the Goodbye Fibroids initiative. Goodbye Fibroids will provide a forum for women to share their stories, learn about treatment options and patient-doctor discussions, and unite to raise awareness to elevate the standard of care for uterine fibroids.
“We are at a turning point where women are changing the conversation about reproductive healthcare, and uterine fibroids are a leading topic. Acessa is thrilled to partner with The White Dress Project to launch Goodbye Fibroids, a powerful new voice created to educate and empower women to pursue care that’s right for them,” said Acessa Health President and CEO Kim Rodriguez.
Uterine fibroids affect 70–80% of women under age of 55, and 15–30% experience severe symptoms, such as heavy bleeding, long periods, pelvic pain or pressure, and urinary complications.1-3 Hysterectomy, the second most common surgery performed on reproductive-aged women, continues to be the primary treatment for uterine fibroids in the United States, while less invasive alternatives are underutilized and often not discussed with patients.4 Soberingly, a retrospective study of over 3,000 women showed nearly 1 in 5 hysterectomies are unnecessary.4
Tanika Gray Valbrun, founder of The White Dress Project, noted, “Today, many women with uterine fibroids think hysterectomy is the only treatment, a misconception fostered by inadequate patient education and insurance access. Education and empowerment are powerful tools we are using to reverse this health crisis for millions of women. Goodbye Fibroids continues our organization’s work to build a community of women overcoming fibroids, drawing strength from each other and finding power in numbers.”
“Goodbye Fibroids joins two leaders in the fibroid realm who are supporting women to get treatment that’s right for them – Acessa Health, through science, and The White Dress Project, through advocacy,” said Dr. Jessica Shepherd, a gynecologist at Baylor Scott & White Women's Health Group in Dallas, Texas. “I perform the minimally invasive Acessa procedure for patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids because it preserves the uterus and results in less physical trauma and recovery time than hysterectomy. Women need and deserve to know that this and other treatment options exist, which is why I’m excited about Goodbye Fibroids.”
Uterine fibroids take a physical and psychological toll on sufferers. One study showed women had significant negative emotions about fibroids and about themselves.5 Half felt helpless about the condition.5 Goodbye Fibroids wants to shed light on those feelings and give women the tools they need to take control of this condition.
“Millions of women are suffering from uterine fibroids, keeping their experiences to themselves, and putting off treatment because they are afraid of major surgery,” said Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, former Surgeon General of the United States and Founder and CEO of BayouClinic, Inc., in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. “With the help of organizations like The White Dress Project and Acessa Health and initiatives like Goodbye Fibroids, I think women will speak up, make their voices heard, and fundamentally change how we approach uterine fibroids.”
About Acessa Health Inc.
Acessa Health is a women’s health innovator dedicated to advancing minimally invasive, uterine-sparing solutions for women with symptomatic fibroids. The company introduced the use of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of uterine fibroids and is continuing to develop technologies that improve the lives of its patients. Acessa Health’s headquarters are in Austin, TX. For more information, visit AcessaProcedure.com.
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2. Borah BJ, Nicholson WK, Bradley L, Stewart EA. The impact of uterine leiomyomas: a national survey of affected women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2013;209(4):319 e1- e20.
3. Cardozo ER, Clark AD, Banks NK, Henne MB, Stegmann BJ, Segars JH. The estimated annual cost of uterine leiomyomata in the United States. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012;206(3):211 e1-9.
4. Corona LE, Swenson CW, Sheetz KH, et al. Use of other treatments before hysterectomy for benign conditions in a statewide hospital collaborative. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. 2015 Mar;212(3):304, e301–307
5. Ghant MS, Sengoba KS, Recht H, Cameron KA, Lawson AK, Marsh EE. Beyond the physical: a qualitative assessment of the burden of symptomatic uterine fibroids on women's emotional and psychosocial health. J Psychosom Res. 2015 May;78(5):499-503.
