UTERINE FIBROIDS

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors or lumps that are made of muscle cells and other tissues that can grow inside the uterus and within or outside the muscular walls of the uterus. A fibroid can be as small as a pea or as large as a melon. There may be one single fibroid or many, which is often the case. They can get large enough to fill the entire abdomen. Uterine fibroids are common in women of childbearing age and 40 percent of all women over 35 experience symptoms. Fibroids are not associated with cancer and do not increase a woman's risk for uterine cancer.

The cause of fibroids is not known. Conditions that cause high estrogen levels may stimulate fibroids to grow. This includes taking birth control pills or being pregnant. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink and may even disappear because estrogen levels decline.

A woman may not know that she has fibroids because they often exist without any symptoms. Common symptoms are:

abnormal vaginal bleeding
heavy bleeding
feelings of fullness in the lower abdomen
pain in the lower back
pain during sexual intercourse and
frequent urination

Fibroids that press on the bladder or bowel can cause frequent urination, constipation, painful bowel movements, and hemorrhoids. A miscarriage can be caused by fibroids as can problems with infertility, pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

Women with fibroids and whose symptoms are mild do not need treatment. If mild symptoms worsen, seek care and treatment. Diagnosis may be confirmed by ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, x-rays, or a CT or "cat" scan.

The treatment depends on the size, location, and symptoms. Medicine or hormone therapy may be used to shrink the fibroids. Surgery may be necessary for some women. Surgery options include removing the uterus (hysterectomy), removing only the fibroids from the uterus (myomectomy), cutting off the blood supply to the fibroids (embolization), or shrinking the fibroids with electric current (myolysis). Most fibroids do not require surgical removal. Sometimes close observation with annual or bi-annual office visits to a healthcare provider is all that is needed.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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