Fibroids

What are uterine fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are benign growths of muscle tissue that form in and around the lining of the uterus. Fibroids primarily develop and grow during a woman’s childbearing years. Fibroids can range greatly in size -- from as small as a pea to as large as a softball or melon. Although the specific causes of fibroids have not been definitively determined, research indicates their formation and growth are related to fluctuations in hormone levels. Women with a family history of fibroids are also more likely to develop them as well. In most cases, fibroid growth stops when a woman reaches menopause.

What are the most common symptoms of fibroids?

Some fibroids cause no symptoms at all and may even go undetected. When fibroids do cause symptoms, those can include:

• painful periods
• spotting between periods
• very heavy periods or periods that last longer than seven days
• feeling of pressure in the pelvis
• urinary incontinence or increased urge to urinate
• problems with fertility and pregnancy

How are fibroids treated?

How and whether fibroids are treated depends on the extent to which they are causing symptoms that are impacting a person’s quality of life. Fibroids that cause no symptoms don’t have to be treated; instead, these fibroids can be monitored on an ongoing basis with regular visits to a person’s doctor. When fibroids do cause symptoms or interfere with fertility, your doctor will work with you to determine the best course of treatment based on your body’s specific needs, your symptoms, and your lifestyle needs. Treatment options for fibroids include:

• uterine artery embolization to cut off the flow of blood to the fibroids
• hormone therapy to help reduce the size of the growths
• endometrial ablation to remove the uterine lining
• surgical removal of fibroids using traditional or minimally-invasive approaches
• hysterectomy, if childbearing is complete