Uterine Fibroids - Information All Women
Should Know
What are uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids (also known as myomas) are the most common type of non-cancerous,
abnormal uterine growth in women of childbearing age. Fibroids can appear
on the inside or outside lining of your uterus, or within its muscular wall
and can range greatly in size. Very large fibroids can cause pressure on
other organs or structures such as nerves or blood vessels. The exact cause
of fibroids is unknown, however, experts suspect that hormones, specifically
estrogen, play a role in their formation.
Uterine fibroids affect approximately one in
four women in the United States. Richard
Tureck, MD, states, “In the
majority of cases, fibroids are not considered
dangerous and are not associated with an increased
risk of uterine cancer.” He continues, “In
fact, over 90 percent of women who have fibroids
do not experience symptoms. In most of these
women nothing needs to be done to treat the fibroid
however, an asymptomatic fibroid should be monitored
by a physician.”
Who is most likely to have uterine fibroids?
Uterine fibroids commonly occur in all races. African-American women are two
to five times more likely than other women to develop fibroids. Many women
with fibroids have a family history, meaning they have female relatives who
have also had fibroids.
Fibroids are more likely to occur in women during
their reproductive years. As a woman’s
estrogen levels begin to decline with age, fibroids
tend to shrink and become less problematic.
How are uterine fibroids diagnosed?
Typically, fibroids are first diagnosed during a pelvic examination. They may
be confirmed by an abdominal ultrasound or other imagining studies. Physicians
are not able to predict if a fibroid will grow or if it will cause symptoms
at a later time.
What are fibroid symptoms?
Dr. Tureck recommends that women become aware of the symptoms associated with
fibroids. Depending on the location, size and number of fibroids, a woman
might experience the following:
- Heavy, prolonged menstrual periods or bleeding
between periods and sometimes blood clots
- Reproductive problems, including infertility
and multiple miscarriages
- Pain in the back or legs when the fibroids
press on nerves
- Enlarged abdomen or pelvic pain, pressure
or “fullness” caused by fibroid
size or weight
- Pain during sexual intercourse
- Pressure on bladder leading to a constant
urge to urinate or pressure on the bowel, causing
constipation and bloating
How are fibroids treated?
Dr. Tureck affirms, “When treating a woman for fibroids, we take into
account the severity of the patient’s symptoms and their desire to have
children in the future. Medical or surgical treatment options are considered
after this evaluation.
Medical therapy benefits women who want to keep
their fertility or who are not willing to undergo
a surgical procedure. Various medications can
shrink the fibroid. These drugs do not eliminate
fibroids. Fibroids may grow once a woman stops
taking the medicine.
Surgical procedures, such as hysterectomy or
myomectomy are the most common treatments for
fibroids. A hysterectomy is the surgical removal
of the uterus and is the most definitive treatment
for fibroids. During a myomectomy, fibroids are
surgically removed leaving the uterus intact.
Pre-menopausal women who want to preserve their
fertility frequently choose myomectomy, however,
following myomectomy a patient can still develop
additional fibroids.
Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is another
less invasive procedure for women who wish to
keep their uterus intact. UAE is performed by
an interventional radiologist. A thin, plastic
catheter is inserted into a blood vessel and
a substance is injected that will block the flow
of blood to the fibroid. This causes the fibroid
to shrink.
Looking to the future
There is active research exploring the causes of fibroids and their growth.
This information could some day lead to prevention or a cure for uterine
fibroids that does not involve removing a woman’s uterus.
See also:
Uterine fibroids
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