New research suggests the abortion pill may help women who suffer from uterine fibroids.

Low doses of the drug mifepristone, commonly known as RU-486, shrink uterine fibroid tumors and greatly improve the quality of life in women who suffer from pain and heavy bleeding, according to a University of Rochester study.

Uterine fibroids affect roughly half of all women ages 35 to 49, according to the study, which is published in the December Obstetrics and Gynecology journal. The noncancerous tumors cause iron-deficiency anemia due to excessive menstrual bleeding and deeply impact the quality of life for women who have this condition. Thousands of women each year opt for hysterectomies or have the tumors removed surgically because no other medical treatment has proved effective, the study said.

"With no approved treatment for symptomatic fibroids, this study and its findings are very significant," Dr. Kevin Fiscella said in a news release. "Interestingly, this is the same drug that was recently shown to prevent breast cancer in a rat model. Federal funding for research related to mifepristone should be given a high priority."

The study included 42 premenopausal women from western New York who had uterine fibroids. During the six-month study, 22 women received mifepristone at 5 mg daily, and 20 women received an identical-looking placebo pill daily.

Researchers assessed bleeding with a daily log and hemoglobin tests, and administered ultrasound and other tests to assess uterine volume and tumor size. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development funded the study.

By the end of the study, nearly every woman in the mifepristone group was certain she had been receiving the drug because of so many improvements, the researchers said.

"These very promising findings warrant replication through a large multicenter study," the authors wrote. Side effects to the drug were uncommon during the University of Rochester study, but the authors noted that adverse events should be carefully monitored during follow-up studies.

A few deaths have been reported among women taking mifepristone at much higher doses -- 200 mg to 600 mg -- for pregnancy termination. However, medical authorities have not determined whether the drug caused the deaths.

Additional Resources:

• Link: Study Abstract
• Encyclopedia: Uterine Fibroids
• Interactive: RU-486, Contraceptive Options
• Video: Psychological Issues Of The Abortion Pill
• Article: Abortion Pill Vs. Morning-After Pill