fibroid-trends-analysis
📊 Public Interest in Fibroid Treatments: UFE vs Myomectomy (Google Trends Analysis)
🧠 Project Summary: Comparing Public Interest in Fibroid Treatments
Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow in or on the uterus, affecting up to 70–80% of women by age 50, with disproportionately higher rates and severity among Black women. Symptoms can include heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating, and fertility challenges.
This project explores public interest in two common fibroid treatment options using Google Trends data:
- Myomectomy – A surgical procedure that removes fibroids while preserving the uterus.
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) – A minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure performed by an interventional radiologist. UFE works by cutting off the blood supply to fibroids, causing them to shrink over time.
While both treatments are clinically effective, UFE is often underutilized, possibly due to limited public awareness or lack of discussion during clinical consultations.
This analysis aims to highlight trends in public search interest, identify awareness gaps, and explore how media events or public health campaigns might influence knowledge about treatment options.
🔍 Key Questions
- Which treatment has higher public search interest?
- Are there seasonal or regional spikes in interest?
- What trends may suggest increased awareness of less invasive treatment options like UFE?
🗂️ Data Source
- Google Trends
- Terms searched:
"uterine fibroid embolization","myomectomy", and"fibroid treatment" - Time Range: Last 5 years
- Region: United States
🛠️ Tools Used
- Google Trends
- Google Sheets
📈 Visualizations
This graph shows how public interest in the topic has changed over time, with peaks indicating moments of heightened attention.
📊 Fibroid Treatment Search Spikes (2022–2025)
This timeline highlights key events that correlate with significant search spikes in fibroid treatment awareness. These spikes were likely influenced by scientific breakthroughs, celebrity advocacy, and legislative activity.
🔹 Timeline of Spikes
| Date | Event Summary |
|---|---|
| Sept 17, 2022 | Biggest spike. Results from PRIMROSE 1 & 2 trials published in The Lancet showing Linzagolix (Yselty) effectively treats fibroids. Covered widely by Yale, Tech Networks & more. |
| Oct 9, 2022 | FDA spotlight on minimally invasive procedures (Acessa, Sonata). Follow-up from Fibroid Awareness Month sustained public interest. |
| Jan 26, 2025 | Federal legislation introduced: U-FIGHT Act & HER Act to fund fibroid research, supported by bipartisan lawmakers and advocacy groups. |
| Mar 3, 2025 | Actress Lupita Nyong’o shared her fibroid surgery story, launched a research grant, and joined public advocacy efforts — sparking viral conversations. |
| Apr 14, 2025 | Vanderbilt University released genetic study on fibroids. UAE procedure validated for outpatient use — major win for non-surgical treatment access. |
🌟 Themes & Insights
- Celebrity Advocacy: Personal stories helped normalize conversation and drive awareness.
- Scientific Milestones: Oral treatments and genetic discoveries brought hope for non-invasive, targeted care.
- Legislative Action: Momentum building for research funding and patient-centered solutions.
💡 Key Insights
- Myomectomy has consistently higher search volume than UFE, possibly due to being a more commonly recommended procedure.
- Public interest may correlate with awareness campaigns or media coverage.
- Despite being a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, UFE has consistently low public search interest, peaking at just 11 on the Google Trends index. This suggests a significant gap in public awareness compared to myomectomy — potentially driven by a lack of provider recommendation, patient education, or media coverage.
📣 How Can Public Knowledge of UFE Be Increased?
Despite being a minimally invasive alternative to surgery, Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) shows consistently low search interest in comparison to myomectomy, peaking at only 11 on the Google Trends index. This suggests that many people may not be aware that non-surgical options like UFE even exist. Increasing public awareness could help patients make more informed and personalized treatment decisions.
🔹 1. Increased Provider Education
Many OB/GYNs are more familiar with surgical options like myomectomy and may not present UFE unless they are connected with interventional radiologists. Awareness campaigns should focus not only on patients but also on expanding provider knowledge about UFE.
🔹 2. Influencer and Community Health Campaigns
Social media influencers, celebrities, and advocacy groups who share fibroid experiences can amplify awareness of less invasive treatments. Past public interest spikes in health terms often coincide with celebrity discussions or news coverage.
🔹 3. Healthcare Platform Visibility
Authoritative medical websites (e.g., Mayo Clinic, WebMD) and hospital systems should feature clearer, side-by-side comparisons of UFE vs. myomectomy. Optimizing health-related Google content to include UFE in “People also ask” and featured snippets would also improve discoverability.
🔹 4. Better Terminology and SEO
“Uterine fibroid embolization” is a technical term that patients may not know to search. Campaigns should use more accessible language like:
- “Non-surgical fibroid treatment”
- “Shrink fibroids without surgery”
- “Alternative to fibroid surgery”
This can improve patient engagement and increase search interest organically.
🔹 5. Patient Testimonials and Storytelling
Encouraging more real-world stories via blogs, YouTube, and TikTok from women who have undergone UFE can humanize the procedure and reduce fear or misinformation. These testimonials can also highlight quicker recovery times and post-treatment quality of life.
📎 Files in this Repository
- FibroidGoogleTrends.csv: Raw data exported from Google Trends
- FibroidGoogleTrends_Cleaned.pdf: Prepped file with visuals
🤝 Let’s Connect
Feel free to reach out if you have feedback or suggestions for collaboration! - LinkedIn