Uterine Fibroids
What are Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are non cancerous growths in your uterus (womb) and occur in about 20 percent of all women. Most women are not aware that they have fibroids because they remain small and do not cause any problems. Sometimes, the fibroids can also be on the outside of your uterus.
Is that why I have all this bleeding and pain with my periods?
Yes, the symptoms of most fibroids is an increase of bleeding, sometimes with clots, irregular bleeding, pain, an enlarged uterus and abdomen and anemia due to the increase blood loss. If the fibroid are very large, they can cause pain with sex, and sometimes, they can cause infertility.
How are the fibroids diagnosed?
Usually your Practitioner will detect that your uterus is enlarged and then order an ultrasound of your pelvis to create a picture of your pelvic organs. This will enable your Practitioner to check your uterus for fibroids and also your ovaries for any abnormalities.
What are the treatment options for my fibroids?
There are many options for problematic fibroids. Our Practitioners prefer to be conservative in their approach to treatment. First, they must make sure you do not have any abnormal cells inside your uterus. They may first perform an endometrial biopsy (see EMB). Sometimes, a hysteroscopy, or a laparoscopy done under anesthesia, is needed to adequately diagnose the extent of your fibroids, or an MRI. Following any of these procedures your Practitioner may offer surgical removal of the fibroids, ie myomectomy, or refer you to a radiologist that does Uterine Artery Embolisation (UAE).
The UAE is a procedure that is done under anesthesia, where the blood vessels supplying blood to the fibroids are blocked, so that the fibroid will shrink over time. Sometimes, you may need a complete Hysterectomy, which is the removal of your uterus and at times, your ovaries. If you are having heavy bleeding, or you have any abnormal cells in you uterus, then the recommendation may be a hysterectomy. It is up to you and your Practitioner to make the final decision for the most appropriate individualized treatment.
Further information can be retrieved from www.nlm.nkh.gov. search Fibroids.