Table 1.
Descriptive analysis of studies included in the scoping review
| Author; year | Reference | Research focus | Study design | Sampling methods | Sample size | Outcome measured | Age of study participants | Summary of key findings |
| Tiltman et al (South Africa) |
50 | Pathology | Case series | Non-probability | 661 | Proportion of UF within hysterectomy specimen | 12.0–84.0 | The proportion of UF was 427/661 (64.6%). |
| Wango et al (Kenya) |
49 | Pathology | Case series | Not clearly described | 20 | Evaluation of oestradiol, progesterone and their receptors | Range 31.0–42.0 | The UF tissue contained significantly higher levels of oestrogen receptor (28.2±1.6 vs 19.1±0.4 fm/mg protein) and progesterone receptor (16.8±0.7 vs 9.4±0.2 fm/mg protein) compared with normal myometrial tissue, a relatively significant higher levels of oestrogen (1117.6±20.9 vs 616.9±19.8 pm/mg protein) and progesterone (7.7±0.25 vs 3.2±0.34 nm/mg protein) in the myometrium than in the leiomyomata. |
| Mohammed et al (Nigeria) | 42 | Pathology | Case series | Non-probability | 209 | Proportion of UF pathological specimen and degenerative changes | Range 25.0–50.0 | The proportion of myometrial UF was 2.2% of all surgical specimen over 5 years. |
| Eze et al (Nigeria) |
43 | Radiology | Case control | Non-probability | 200 (100 cases vs 100 controls) | Frequency and growth rate of uterine fibroids in pregnancy | Cases (31.6±4.5 year); controls (29.1±5.5 year) | The frequency of UFs in pregnancy was 12.3%; the most common type was subserous fibroids (27.5%). The mean size of UFs measured on ultrasound was lowest during third scan. |
| Oluwole et al (Nigeria) |
44 | Clinical | Case control | Non-probability | 580 | Proportion of UF and risk factor analysis | 35.5±5.8 | The proportion of women with UFs was 31% (178/580). Presence of UFs was associated with 40–49 years (OR=4.9%; 95% CI 1.8% to 31.1%); lower parity (OR=0.6; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9); family history of UFs (OR=1.9; 95% CI 1.9 to 4.8); and history of infertility (OR=5.0; 95% CI 0.9 to 25.9). |
| Awowole et al (Nigeria) |
45 | Pathology | Cross-sectional | Non-probability | 60 | To measure expression of oestrogen receptor α (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR) in myometrium and UF | 26.0–53.0 | UF had a higher mean expression of ERα (H-score 193.4±64.6 vs 153.3±69.1; p=0.01) and PR (214.9±66.6 vs 171.5±63.5; p<0.001) than in myometrial tissues. The tumour diameter correlated negatively with the immunoscores of both receptors irrespective of age, parity and body mass index, but this was only significant for PR (p=–0.44; p<0.001). |
| Sarkodie et al (Ghana) |
46 | Radiology | Cross-sectional | Non-probability | 244 | Prevalence of UF and risk factors analysis | 14.0–54.0 | In this study, 23% (38/168) of women <35 had prevalent fibroids, compared with 67% (36/54) of women 35–44 and 73% (16/22) of women at 45 or above years. Factors that associated significantly with UF in Ghanaian women included obesity (X2=17.3, p value=0.001), participant’s age range (X2=47.4, p=0.001), parity (X2=−10.2, p=0.001) and age at last delivery (X2=34.6, p=0.001). |
| Sarkodie et al (Ghana) |
47 | Radiology | Cross-sectional | Non-probability | 244 | Assessment of sonographic characteristics of UF | 14.0–54.0 | The prevalence of UF was 36.9% (90/244). The majority of the UFs were intramural (57.8 %) with only 4.4% noted as submucosal. Most (55.6 %) of the UFs were located in more than one part of the uterus. |
| Egbe et al (Cameroon) |
48 | Radiology and clinical | Cross-sectional | Non-probability | 226 | Proportion of UF and risk factors analysis | ≥21.0 | The prevalence of UF in pregnancy was 16.7% (38/226). Respondents with UF were older than those without (p<0.001) and of low parity (p=0.02). |
UF, uterine fibroids.