Can Stress Cause Fibroids? | The Cortisol Connection Explained
If you’ve ever wondered can stress cause fibroids, you’re asking one of the most important questions in women’s health right now. Uterine fibroids affect up to 80% of women by age 50, and researchers are finally looking beyond genetics and hormones to understand what’s driving them. The answer they keep circling back to? Chronic stress. And the stress and fibroids connection runs deeper than most of us realize.
My Journey
I know what it’s like to carry stress in your body. Living with Stage IV Endometriosis, I spent years in survival mode — pushing through flares, masking pain, running on cortisol and caffeine. When I started learning about the connection between chronic stress and inflammation, everything clicked. My body had been keeping score. That realization didn’t just change how I ate — it changed how I rested, how I set boundaries, and how I built my entire healing routine. If you’re dealing with fibroids, this connection matters more than you think.
What the Research Actually Says
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s what science tells us about stress and fibroids.
The NIH MicroRNA Study
In 2024, an NIH-funded study found that women with uterine fibroids who scored high on stress questionnaires also had elevated levels of certain microRNAs in their uterine muscle tissue. Of the microRNAs detected, 20 were linked to biological processes involved in cell growth and tumor development — suggesting that stress may directly influence how fibroid cells behave at a molecular level.
The Meta-Analysis
A meta-analysis of seven studies found that women with the highest levels of chronic psychological stress had a 24% increased risk of developing fibroids compared to those with the lowest stress levels. That’s not a small number — it’s a statistically significant pattern across multiple populations.
The Hormone Disruption Pathway
Here’s where it gets real. Chronic stress activates your HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which floods your body with cortisol. Over time, this disrupts the balance of estrogen and progesterone — two hormones that directly regulate uterine tissue growth. When estrogen goes up and progesterone can’t keep pace, fibroids have the hormonal environment they need to grow.
Research has shown that chronic stress specifically increases gonadotropin levels throughout the menstrual cycle and raises progesterone during the follicular phase — exactly the kind of hormonal imbalance that feeds fibroid development.
Why This Hits Black Women Hardest
This is something that doesn’t get talked about enough. Black women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop fibroids than white women, and traditional risk factors don’t fully explain the gap. Researchers at the NIH have pointed to the chronic stress of structural racism — ongoing psychosocial stress that accumulates over a lifetime — as a potential factor driving that disparity.
This isn’t just a wellness conversation. It’s a health equity conversation. And it’s exactly why managing stress isn’t a luxury — it’s a form of protection.
The Stress-Fibroids Cycle
Here’s what most articles miss: the relationship goes both ways. Stress may contribute to fibroid development, and fibroids absolutely cause more stress. Heavy bleeding, pain during your cycle, calling in sick to work, worrying about fertility — all of it creates a stress loop that keeps your body in a constant state of inflammation.
Breaking that cycle means addressing both sides: reducing the stress that may fuel fibroid growth and managing the symptoms that add to your stress load.
Simple Ways to Lower Stress and Protect Your Body
You don’t need a complete lifestyle overhaul. Start with one or two of these and build from there.
- Drink anti-inflammatory. What you put in your body directly impacts your cortisol and inflammation levels. Turmeric lattes, ginger tea, and tart cherry juice are gentle ways to start lowering inflammation from the inside. This was the single biggest shift in my own healing journey.
- Move gently. Intense workouts can actually spike cortisol. Swap the high-intensity sessions for walking, yoga, or stretching during high-stress weeks. Your nervous system will thank you.
- Protect your sleep. Cortisol is supposed to drop at night, but chronic stress keeps it elevated. Prioritize 7-8 hours and create a wind-down routine — no screens, a cup of chamomile, and maybe a few minutes of deep breathing.
- Set boundaries. This one’s free and it’s the hardest. Saying no to overcommitting, stepping back from draining relationships, and giving yourself permission to rest are all forms of stress management that directly impact your hormones.
- Eat to support your hormones. Cruciferous vegetables help your body metabolize excess estrogen. Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon and walnuts reduce inflammation. Fiber keeps estrogen from recirculating. Every meal is an opportunity to support your body.
Studies to Explore
Here are the studies referenced to explore:
- NIH MicroRNA Study (2024) — The preliminary NIH-funded study linking stress, microRNA, and uterine fibroids
- Meta-Analysis: Chronic Psychological Stress and Uterine Fibroids Risk — The pooled analysis showing 24% increased risk
- Mendelian Randomization Study (2024): Psychological Distress and Uterine Fibroids — The bidirectional relationship between psychological distress and fibroids
- 2025 Frontiers Study: Chronic Stressors in Women with Uterine Fibroids — Qualitative study on chronic stressors and their effects
- Self-Reported Major Life Events and Uterine Fibroids (PMC) — Association between major life events and fibroid presence
- BU Slone Epidemiology Center: Psychosocial Factors and Fibroids in Black Women — Research on racial disparities in fibroid risk
Build a Routine That Works for You
Stress management isn’t about doing everything perfectly — it’s about building small, consistent habits that add up. If you’re looking for a simple place to start, my Free 7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Drink Plan gives you a full week of drinks designed to lower inflammation, support your hormones, and help you feel calmer from the inside out.
Download Your Free 7-Day Plan →
More Health and Wellness to Explore
- Nervous System Detox: How to Reset After Chronic Stress
- Super Gut Yogurt Recipe | Homemade Probiotic Powerhouse
- Estrogen Dominance Diet Plan
- Best 4-Week Endometriosis Diet Recipes
- 10 High Progesterone Herbs for Hormone Balance
hello!
It’s Kyla
Hi Healthy Fam!
IKyla is a Stage IV Endometriosis mom, certified health advocate, and founder of PinkProverb.com.
After years of ER visits and chronic pain, she transformed her health through anti-inflammatory nutrition and now helps women find relief through food, not just medication.
She lives by one motto: Live Healthy, My Way.
For more, check out Healthy Kyla on Youtube!
Frequently Asked Questions
Stress alone probably isn’t the sole cause — fibroids involve genetics, hormones, and other factors. But research consistently shows that chronic psychological stress significantly increases your risk by disrupting hormone balance and creating an inflammatory environment where fibroids can develop and grow.
Chronic, ongoing stress — not a single stressful event. The research points specifically to sustained psychosocial stress, major life events accumulated over time, and the chronic stress that comes from systemic inequities. Day-to-day stress that never fully resolves is the kind that impacts your HPA axis and hormone balance.
There’s no research proving that stress reduction alone will shrink existing fibroids. However, lowering chronic stress reduces cortisol, helps rebalance estrogen and progesterone, and lowers systemic inflammation — all of which may slow fibroid growth and reduce symptoms like heavy bleeding and pain.
Cortisol disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which throws off estrogen and progesterone production. Elevated cortisol increases gonadotropins and can raise progesterone at the wrong time in your cycle, creating the exact hormonal imbalance that promotes fibroid cell growth.
Yes. Black women are 2-3 times more likely to develop fibroids, and NIH researchers have identified the chronic stress of structural racism as a potential contributing factor. The microRNA study found that stress-related molecular changes in uterine tissue may help explain this disparity — making stress management especially important for Black women’s reproductive health
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your wellness routine, especially if you have fibroids or another medical condition. The research cited is evolving, and more studies are needed to fully establish causation between stress and fibroid development.
