1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody. By popular listener demand, a stuff Mom Never 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: Told You store is now live. Head on over to 3 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: stuff Mom Never told You dot spreadshirt dot com and 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: check out all of the stuff Mom Never told you 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: t shirts, toadbags, pins, coffee mugs, cell phone cases, even 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: sweatshirts that you can pick up for yourself or maybe 7 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: even a fellow stuff Mom Never told You fan. 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I'm Kristen 16 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: and I'm Caroline, and today we're talking about a health 17 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: issue requested by a number of listeners that a lot 18 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 1: of listeners probably have not heard of before. And frankly, 19 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: I was not aware of this either before we started researching, 20 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: and that is uterine fibroids. Yeah, I actually am ashamed 21 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: to say that I did not know about this either 22 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: until a former co worker of mine told me about 23 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: her experience with fibroids and said, well, you know, Caroline, 24 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: you should do a podcast on this because it affects 25 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 1: so many women, and a lot of the women it 26 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 1: effects are women who haven't had children. And so to 27 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 1: my former co worker and to our listeners out there 28 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: who were hoping to learn more about this, this is 29 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: for you. We're going to tell you today about uterine 30 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: fibroids a k a. Lie o mioma's which just makes 31 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: me think of lego my ego. Not to reduce that 32 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: to a catch phrase, but laomoma literally means growth of 33 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: smooth muscle. So fibroids are non cancerous, brain important, non 34 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: cancerous growth in the uterus that typically appeared during a 35 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: woman's childbearing years. And it bears repeating these are non 36 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: cancerous growth. In most cases, your chances of developing a 37 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: cancerous fibroid are super small. They're somewhere between one and 38 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: four hundred and one in a thousand cases, and just 39 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: having a fibroid or fibroids plural does not increase your 40 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: risk or your chances of developing cancer. And they develop 41 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: from uterine tissue when a cell divides repeatedly, which then 42 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: forms this firm mass, and the mass can be so 43 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: small that it's undetectable to the eye, but it also 44 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: can grow large enough in some cases that it distorts 45 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: the size of the uterus. In fact, there are some 46 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: women with fibroids so large that it distends their stomach right. 47 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: And so let's talk about how common this actually is 48 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: and the symptoms that you might experience, because I think 49 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: when we tell you a little bit about these issues, 50 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: you'll understand why maybe more people don't know about it 51 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: or don't know whether they have it, and how we 52 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: should know about it. My mind is blown that I 53 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: didn't know about this. I know this is exactly another 54 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: issue like endometriosis, where so it's so common for so 55 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: many women out there, and so many women do go 56 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: through the pain of fibroids, but not a lot of 57 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: people know about it. So estimates as to how common 58 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: fibroids are range from about women up to about seventy five. 59 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: So that's like a that's a huge window not how 60 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: many women potentially suffer from five fibroids. But many of 61 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: these women are unaware that they have them because they 62 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: don't have symptoms, or they miss stake their symptoms for 63 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: something else, and it's easy to see why you might 64 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: not get diagnosed because the symptoms aren't exactly a fibroid 65 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: specific Yeah, this totally reminded me two of our episode 66 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: on polycystic ovarian syndrome, where you have all sorts of 67 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: symptoms that could be anything. So a lot of women 68 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: go through a number of medical exams before they get 69 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: an actual diagnosis. So these symptoms can include things like 70 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: heavy or prolonged periods, pelvic pressure or pain, frequent urination, 71 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: difficulty emptying your bladder, constipation, back ache, or leg pains. 72 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: Um It can also cause acute pain, which has caused 73 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: when a fibroid outgrows its blood supply, then it dies 74 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: and in bits and pieces from the dying fibroid can 75 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: make their way into surrounding tissue. And another thing that 76 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: causes acute pain is something that really gave me pause 77 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: when I was reading these sources. But it's the issue 78 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: of when a fibroid that does grow ing from a 79 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: type of stock can end up twisted, thereby cutting off 80 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: the blood supply, and so that leads to very acute 81 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: pain as well. So again just to keep in mind, 82 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: because I had to keep reminding myself of this as 83 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:19,239 Speaker 1: we were reading about fibroids, is that they are very common. 84 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: Most of the time they come with no symptoms whatsoever. 85 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: This is more talking about what happens when they do 86 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: enlarge or they grow in such a way that do 87 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: lead to very painful symptoms. Um. So there are different 88 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: kinds of uterine fibroids as well. There are three main classifications, 89 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: and your symptoms will depend on the type. So you 90 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: have submucosal fibroids which grow into the inner cavity of 91 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: the uterus, and these are likelier to cause prolonged heavy periods. 92 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: Then you have sub crusal fibroids, which project to the 93 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: outside of the uterus, and these are likelier to cause 94 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: urinary symptoms because they can press on your bladder and 95 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: also bulging from the back of the uterus can press 96 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: on your rectum causing a pressure sensation, or on your 97 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: spinal nerves causing back ache. Yeah, and of course I 98 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: feel like I've said this on every health episode we've 99 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: ever done that I automatically assume I have whatever it 100 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: is that we're talking about, and so of course my 101 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: back was killing me yesterday and it's still kind of 102 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: hurting today, and I was like, oh no, oh, no, 103 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: I have subsruscial Oh no, way. I went to the 104 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: gym for the first time and forever and my back 105 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: is killing me. Okay. But so the third and final 106 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: type is intramural fibroids, which grow in the uterine wall 107 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: itself and can distort the shape of the uterus and 108 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: cause prolonged heavy periods and pain and pressure sensation. So 109 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: there's no winning. Thanks a lot fibroids. These a lot 110 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: of body and we've been treating these fibroids for a 111 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: long time, even though today doctors are still kind of 112 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: scratching their heads about them. Um. In eighteen o nine, 113 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: President Lincoln's cousin, Jane Todd Crawford, became the first person 114 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: to undergo surgery to remove a fibroid, and a procedure 115 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: called a laparotomy, which involves a large cut through the 116 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: abdominal wall. And it wasn't necessarily just to remove a fibroid, 117 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:21,559 Speaker 1: because at this time doctors probably weren't entirely sure what 118 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: was wrong with Jane Todd Crawford. Yeah, I mean, she 119 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: had some some distention of the stomach and everything like that, 120 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: and they had some theories about what was wrong with her, 121 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: and they went in and they removed this thing and 122 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: it was a fibroid. It turns out it was a fibroid. Uh. 123 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 1: And in eighteen forty we have the first successful myomectomy, 124 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: which is a surgery for fibroids whose goal is just 125 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: to remove the masses themselves and leave the uterus intact. 126 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: And this surgery was specifically to remove fibroids. It wasn't 127 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: just exploratory. And it's interesting that after the eighteen fifties 128 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: this procedure was largely abandoned. There were some safety issues, 129 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: some healthy shoes. Uh. It was picked up again in 130 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: two when a British surgeon actually improved methods, so it 131 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: became another option again. And today the most common surgery 132 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: used to treat fibroids is a hysterectomy, which is the 133 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: full removal of the uterus, and it's the only proven 134 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: permanent solution for uterine fibroids. And some women will choose 135 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: to also have their ovaries removed, a lot of women 136 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: will choose to keep them because if you also remove 137 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: the ovaries as you would imagine it immediately induces menopause, right, 138 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: And so myomectomy is still a surgical option today, and 139 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 1: that's like we said, removing just the growth itself, not 140 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: the entire uterus. And luckily it can actually be performed 141 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: as a laparoscopic or minimally invasive procedure today. It doesn't 142 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 1: have to be the radical opening of the entire abdominal cavity. 143 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: And speaking of minimally invasive options, women do have some 144 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: things open to them to choose from things like injecting 145 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: small particles into the arteries that supply blood to the uterus, 146 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: which ends up cutting off blood flow to the fibroids 147 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: as well. You can also use an electric current or 148 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: a laser to destroy them, which in my mind, I'm like, 149 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: why wouldn't you just do that all the time, But 150 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 1: obviously there are other issues. Um, and then there's a 151 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: very controversial option of power more selation, which involves using 152 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: a very tiny rotating power blade to slice uterine growths 153 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 1: into strips that can be removed through a small incision. 154 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: And that doesn't sound controversial, that seems like okay, cool 155 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: advancements in science. However, it may cause small benign tumors 156 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 1: to form in the abdominal cavity or in rare cases 157 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:46,959 Speaker 1: when the fibrod actually is cancerous, to spread cancer cells. Yeah, 158 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: because essentially when they're removing those strips, they might sometimes 159 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,439 Speaker 1: leave stuff behind which can migrate. And there was a 160 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: very recent case where UM a woman underwent the surgery 161 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: and she developed stage for cancer because of that, and 162 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: so power more sulation is now a procedure very much 163 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,839 Speaker 1: under review. There are also some medications out there to 164 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 1: temporarily treat fibroids. You have gnatotropin releasing hormone agonists of 165 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: course you know. Of course this blocks the production of 166 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 1: estrogen and progesterone and it stops menstruation, thereby shrinking the 167 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: fibroids and improving anemia. Anemia is something commonly associated with 168 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: this UM. Then there's also the Marina, which is a 169 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: progestin releasing intra uarine device or i u D, and 170 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: it can also relieve heavy bleeding associated with fibroids, but 171 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: it doesn't shrink the actual fibroids. And in a fascinating 172 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: twist myth of priss Stone a k A are you 173 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: for eight six can also shrink fibroids. And if it's 174 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: ringing a bell in your brain, that's because myth of 175 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: PRIs stone is an abortiveation. It's often for two as 176 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: the abortion pill because it's a drug used to end pregnancies, 177 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 1: and it can shrink those fibroids, like I said, but 178 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: only in postman apozzle women, and once you stopped taking it, 179 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: the fibroids grow back. It's so interesting, so very very 180 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: interesting and scary distressing. Yeah, and and you know we've 181 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: listed a whole bunch of treatments basically for the express 182 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: purpose of illustrating that. Well, yes, there are a ton 183 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: of options out there. They're all sort of uh leading 184 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: us to what we're about to talk about, which is 185 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: that even though we've known about fibroids for a long time, 186 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: we're still not exactly sure the best way to treat them, 187 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: nor are we exactly sure the exact cause. And so 188 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk way more about that when we come 189 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: right back from a quick break and now back to 190 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: the show. So when we left off, we were talking 191 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: about all of these different treatment options, the only one 192 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:06,079 Speaker 1: of which that's proven to be permanent is a hysterectomy, 193 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: which is a pretty aggressive surgery. I mean, it's removing 194 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: having your uterus and possibly your ovaries as well removed. Um. 195 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,559 Speaker 1: But the thing that left both Caroline and me saying 196 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: what is the fact that we've known about them for 197 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: a long time, and yet even today doctors aren't really 198 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: sure what causes it. And I feel like this is 199 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: a common refrain through so many of the women's health 200 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: related podcasts that we've done. I mean, and when we 201 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: say we've known about them for a long time, we're 202 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: talking about going back to ancient Greece when Hippocrates called 203 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: them uterine stones, and then in the second century Greek 204 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: physician Galen referred to them as scleromas, and more recently 205 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: in the nineteenth century. In eighteen fifty four, German doctor 206 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: Rudolph Virtuow introduced the term myoma, which means a benign 207 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: tumor of muscular tissue, after demonstrating that those fibroid masses 208 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: were composed from smooth muscles and speaking of fibroids. It 209 00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: wasn't until eighteen sixty that the term fibroid was actually 210 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: introduced by Baron Carl von Roka Tanski. Carl, I just 211 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: like that, Carl Dr carl Um. But so, despite the 212 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: fact that even Hippocrates was talking about these things, nobody 213 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: knows exactly why they happened. They do know that there 214 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:32,679 Speaker 1: are two main factors at play, one hormones to genetics. 215 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: And so let's look at some of these interesting hormonal clues. Yeah, 216 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: and of course the hormones implicated in this are estrogen 217 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: and progesterone. As with everything, is it everything here? I 218 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 1: think it's everything. I think that some days. Um. So 219 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: the hormonal clues are the fact that they do tend 220 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: to grow rapidly during pregnancy when hormone levels are running high. 221 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: But the more pregnancies a woman has, the lower her risk. 222 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: The risk is also lower for women who take oral contraceptives, 223 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: and they tend to shrink when you take anti hormone medicine. 224 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: They actually stop growing and shrink once you hit menopause. Yeah, 225 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: and there's also a link where women who get their 226 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: periods at a young age also appear to be at 227 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: a higher risk. And there's a higher incidents among women 228 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: whose mothers took d e S, which is a synthetic 229 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: estrogen and endocrine disruptor UH during their pregnancy. And the 230 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: link between in utero d e S exposure and early 231 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: onset fibroids is actually particularly pronounced among African American women, 232 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: and there are other factors as well. A diet has 233 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: been talked about, especially diets high in red meat and 234 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: low in green veggies and fruit, so people eat your veggies. 235 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: Another reason to do that a drinking alcohol, and also 236 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: age because it's more common as we age, especially once 237 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: we hit our thirties and forties. And obesity is also 238 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: a big risk factor. It actually amplifies your risk two 239 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: to three times higher um if you are obese. But 240 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: the biggest risk factor that we need to talk about 241 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: that a lot of doctors are looking into is this 242 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: very strong connection between uterine fibroids and African American women. 243 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: They disproportionately affect Black women and they're more likely to 244 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: experience symptoms longer before they seek help, which could be 245 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: contributed to a number of different factors. But just for instance, 246 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: fortent of women waited over four years to go to 247 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: the doctor and seek out a diagnosis, which again who 248 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: knows how many doctor visits that takes right exactly. And 249 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:51,119 Speaker 1: fibroids also tend to strike African American women earlier. On average, 250 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: it hits in their late twenties as opposed to their thirties, 251 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: so it's more likely to impact their childbearing plans, especially 252 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: if it took them a long time time to get 253 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: a diagnosis. And then there was a survey in the 254 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: Journal of Women's Health that found that Black women were 255 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: significantly more likely to have severe symptoms like heavier, prolonged periods, cramping, 256 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: and anemia. They were more likely to report that fibroids 257 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: interfered with physical activities and relationships. They were also more 258 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,760 Speaker 1: likely to miss work for fibroid related reasons and more 259 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: likely to seek out health information about fibroids but then 260 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: report feeling like they couldn't find good answers. Forty percent 261 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: of these women said that they visited two or more 262 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: specialists before doctors detected fibroids, and the incidents in relative 263 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: risk grade for uterine fibroids, according to the study, was 264 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: three times greater for black women, and that was compared 265 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: to uh their study population of white women who had 266 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 1: the same levels of education, employment status, and overall health status. 267 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: So all other factors being equal, you still have this 268 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,919 Speaker 1: much much higher risk. And on top of that, there 269 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: are two point four times likelier to have a hysterectomy 270 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: as a result, and six point eight times likelier to 271 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: have a myomectomy, which is the procedure where they go 272 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: in to remove the fibroid, but they leave the uterus intact. 273 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 1: And we're gonna hit more on the whole the significance 274 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: of those surgery numbers in just a second. But what 275 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: I thought was very interesting was this study in the 276 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: American Journal Epidemiology linking hair relaxing chemicals with fibroids. Uh. 277 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 1: They write that these chemicals are used by millions of 278 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: black women, possibly exposing them to various chemicals through scalp 279 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: lesions and burns, and they found that the instances of 280 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: fibroids were linked to higher reports of frequency and duration 281 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: of use and number of burns, but the risk was 282 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: not related to age at first use or the type 283 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: of formula. That's a huge deal. The blog is sphere 284 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: kind of exploded around this time, talking about the fact 285 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: that like something that so many African American women use 286 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: as part of a beauty routine could potentially have horrific 287 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: health effects. And when we talk about the broader significance 288 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: of this condition, and its treatment and the need for 289 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 1: more attention to it, just even having women like us 290 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,880 Speaker 1: being aware that this is something that could happen, that 291 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: that could very well be existing in our bodies right now. 292 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: Um is the fact that fibroids are the biggest indication 293 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,879 Speaker 1: for women in the US to get hysterectomys, which is 294 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: a major surgical procedure that has equally major life and 295 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 1: economic effects, not to mention all of the different symptoms 296 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: and how that pain and discomfort, um and bleeding or 297 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 1: nemia can lead to just difficult lifestyle, hindrances of affecting 298 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 1: relationships and missed work or school whatever it might be. Right, 299 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: And so if we look at the numbers, fibroids lead 300 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: to two hundred thousand hysterectomies in the United States each year, 301 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: not to mention thirty thousand myomectomies each year. And granted, 302 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: the time spent healing is reduced if you go for 303 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: a minimally invasive type of hysterectomy or myomectomy, but even so, 304 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: we need to talk about the very real costs of 305 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: that many women experiencing that big of surgery every year. 306 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 1: There is a two thousand twelve study publishing the American 307 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 1: Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology which adjusted up the previously 308 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: reported costs four fibroids to five point nine to thirty 309 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: four point four billion dollars annually in the United States, 310 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: and that includes not only the medical costs, but also 311 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: the cost of lost work productivity attributable to uterine fibroids. 312 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: And again going back to African American women, they a 313 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: seventy seven percent likelier to miss work because of this 314 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: health condition. And for an even further cost breakdown from 315 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: that study, UM the estimated annual direct costs that includes 316 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: things like surgery, hospital admissions, outpatient visits, and medications. They 317 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: put it between four point one and nine point four 318 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: billion dollars, So no chump change, right, And in terms 319 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: of that whole lost work productivity thing, Christians absolutely right 320 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: that African American women are seventy seven percent more likely 321 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 1: to miss work UM and in general, when you look 322 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 1: at the numbers UH that survey found that more than 323 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: one quarter of women report lost work days and more 324 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 1: than one fifth reported actual concerns about losing their job 325 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 1: due to the whole situation stemming from uterine fibroids um 326 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: and so the estimated lost work our costs is between 327 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:58,199 Speaker 1: one and a half and seventeen point two billion, and 328 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,479 Speaker 1: of course the estimated cost of obstetric outcomes that are 329 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: attributed to those fibroid tumors fall between two hundred and 330 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: thirty eight million and seven point seven billion dollars. That's 331 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: a lot of lost money and lost time. Yeah, And 332 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: I mean, in no way, like none of the statistics 333 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: that we've signed throughout this podcast minimize the importance of 334 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: knowing about this very real health issue. And it's startling 335 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,959 Speaker 1: to me that it is isn't talked about very much 336 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: at all. Um. I feel like it's indicative of a 337 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: lot of issues with women's health in general, where there 338 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: are a lot of things that we usually aren't aware 339 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: of in terms of how our bodies work and can work. 340 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 1: And again, in a lot of these situations, if you 341 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: have fibroids, you durn fibroids you don't even know and 342 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,439 Speaker 1: that's totally fine. This isn't Ladies, go to your doctor's 343 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: right now and find out if you have fibroids. Half 344 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 1: the time, it's totally fine, But they can grow into 345 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: these tumors can cause all of these symptoms, and in 346 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: much less likely circumstances, they can become cancerous. Right, And 347 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 1: so this definitely ties in issues of doctors not listening 348 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: to women, of women having to spend so much time 349 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: and money going from doctor to doctor to seek out 350 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 1: a diagnosis of what's wrong with me. I'm in this 351 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: pain or I'm having these issues with my period, and 352 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 1: maybe not even knowing that those kinds of symptoms are 353 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: worth a doctor visit, or maybe not being able to 354 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: afford or to have insurance to be able to go 355 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: to a doctor, or not being able to take time 356 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: off work. I mean, there's so many different factors they 357 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: can go into this very real health care issue. Um, 358 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: but I hope that this was a p s A 359 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: for listeners of at least, you know, validating the health 360 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: issues of women out there who have had to deal 361 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: with uterine fibroids, and also news for listeners who might 362 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 1: not have been aware of this condition of Hey, if 363 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 1: these kinds of symptoms start crop being up, this could 364 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 1: be something to talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about. 365 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: So I have a feeling that there are listeners whom 366 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: this is very much resonating with and we want to 367 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: hear from you. Were you able, have you been able 368 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: to get treatment for it? Um? What has been your 369 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: experience when it comes to this. Mom Stuff at house 370 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot Com is our email address. You can 371 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: also tweet us at mom Stuff podcast or messages on Facebook. 372 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: And we've got a couple of messages to share with 373 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 1: you when we come right back from a quick break 374 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: and now back to the show. So I've gotta let 375 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: her here from Rosie about our episode on domestic violence, 376 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 1: and she writes, I wanted to share with you some 377 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: constructive work that's taking place in Australia in terms of 378 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: supporting victims of domestic violence. The trade union movement spearheaded 379 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: by my Union, the Victorian branch of the Australian Services Union, 380 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: has been pushing to get a special category of leave 381 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: included in employment agreements. This domestic violence leave is a 382 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: special category of paid leave to allow victims of domestic 383 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: violence time to attend court and other appointments, move houses, 384 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: or other urgent requirements that being a victim of domestic 385 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: violence may cause. This additional category of leeve allows people 386 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 1: to not have to use their holiday time undecidedly unpleasant 387 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,159 Speaker 1: tasks like getting a restraining order. It also keeps employers 388 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: mindful that their employees have lives outside the office that 389 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: can interrupt or impact their work. The first employment agreement 390 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 1: to include this category of leeve was negotiated by a 391 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,440 Speaker 1: city council in two thousand eleven. I think while it's 392 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: absolutely imperative to work hard on preventing domestic violence, the 393 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,199 Speaker 1: sad fact is that it's an ongoing issue and I 394 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: don't see that changing any time. For all the pledges, 395 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: fundraising and education programs about not committing violent acts, we 396 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: as a society also need defined ways to support the 397 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: people who are affected by this. Money issues and stability 398 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: are often reasons that women will not leave an abusive partner. 399 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 1: For workplaces to be supportive of women who are trying 400 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: to leave abusive relationships, additional leave is an excellent way 401 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: to empower women to be able to make the choices 402 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: they want to make. The Australian Council of Trade Unions 403 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: is lodging a claim at the Fair Work Commission to 404 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: secure ten days paid domestic leave as a minimum entitlement 405 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: for all employees. As a unionist and a feminist, I'm 406 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: very proud to be part of a movement that is 407 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: doing something to support people in abusive relationships and allow 408 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: them to get things done so they can continue to 409 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: live their lives. So thanks so much, Rosie for letting 410 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: us know about that very important work that the Council 411 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: of Trade Unions is doing. Okay, I have a letter 412 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: here from Jenny. She says, I worked on the domestic 413 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,679 Speaker 1: violence field for five years before I returned to school 414 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: to get my master's degree in social work. During that time, 415 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: I accompanied survivors to court and at the hospital during 416 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: forensic exams. I was often the first and last person 417 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: they saw as they attended to leave situations of intimate 418 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: partner violence. I say intimate partner rather than stick because 419 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 1: it addresses the fact that nine point four percent of 420 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 1: high school students report being hit, slapped, or physically hurt 421 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 1: on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the twelve 422 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: months prior to the survey, and she cites the Centers 423 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Unfortunately, 424 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: many states, including Kentucky where I practice, do not offer 425 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: legal production to people in dating relationships, which makes teens 426 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: particularly vulnerable. And then she has a couple of other 427 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: things that she says she wants to address. She says, well, 428 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 1: you addressed how there are many types of domestic violence. 429 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: You forgot two types that strongly contribute to the difficulty 430 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: of leaving an abusive relationship, economic abuse and reproductive abuse. 431 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: Economic abuse involves withholding money, ensuring that no property or 432 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: credit cards are in the victim's name, or refusing to 433 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 1: allow the victim to work. Reproductive abuse involves replacing or 434 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 1: sabotaging birth control, forcing the partner to obtain an abortion 435 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: or preventing her from getting one, or lying about the 436 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: methods of birth control. Both of these categories can affect 437 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,160 Speaker 1: straight and gay couples differently. One category people for get 438 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 1: about is victims of domestic violence who are disabled. Women 439 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:05,879 Speaker 1: with disabilities are more likely to experience domestic violence and 440 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: sexual assault than non disabled women, simply due to the 441 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: fact that women with disabilities have particular vulnerabilities that non 442 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 1: disabled women do not have, such as meeting assistance with 443 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: self care and day living activities, and requiring medical assistance. 444 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: Research from Michael Johnson, who I believe you quoted at 445 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 1: one point, differentiates intimate terrorism from situational couple violence and 446 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: his research, he separates the cycle of violence that includes 447 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: planning for future violence from violence between couples that is 448 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: frequently mutual and more often than not fueled by drug 449 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: and or alcohol abuse, economic difficulties, and youth. It is 450 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: the latter group of offenders who are most frequently successful 451 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: in batterers treatment programs. As most programs teach people alternative 452 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 1: conflict resolution skills, people who fit the category of intimate 453 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: terrorists will use treatment groups to learn new ways of 454 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: concealing or getting away with violence. They may also use 455 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: the participation in the group as further ammunition to gas 456 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:00,239 Speaker 1: light their partners. I can't be to be, so if 457 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 1: I'm in a group, you should see the other guys. 458 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 1: And Jenny goes on to say that she hopes that 459 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 1: more attention is brought to domestic violence through the promotion 460 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: of Domestic Violence Month in October every year. And so, Jenny, 461 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: I just want to thank you so much for all 462 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: of your incredible points, and thanks to everybody who's written 463 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: into us. Mom Stuff at how stuff works dot com 464 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: is our email address, and I just want to put 465 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: a word out there speaking of domestic violence. Since we 466 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: just read a couple of letters about it um. There 467 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: is a new ish Now documentary called Private Violence UM 468 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: produced by hbo UM that is very difficult to watch 469 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: but very much worth watching to learn more about this issue, 470 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 1: particularly in the US, and if you want to learn 471 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: more about it, go to private violence dot com. Um 472 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: And if you want to learn more about us, you 473 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: can find all of our social media links as well 474 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: as all of our blogs, videos, and podcasts, including this 475 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: one with links to all of our sources so you 476 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: can read along with us over at stuff mom Never 477 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: Told You You dot com For more on this and 478 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 1: thousands of other topics. Is that how stuff Works dot com.