Uterine fibroid care

We understand that uterine fibroid symptoms can disrupt your life. If you’re experiencing heavy, painful periods or any other signs of fibroids, we’re here for you. Our compassionate women’s health experts take the time to listen and understand your experience. We’ll perform a gentle pelvic exam and have a thoughtful conversation about your personal and family medical history.

If necessary, we may recommend additional tests to help us understand what’s going on. With the results of these tests, we can help you find relief:

• Hysteroscopy 
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
• Ultrasound 

Our goal is to work with you to create a care plan that meets your needs and respects your health wishes.

Your experience with uterine fibroids is different from anyone else’s, including your mom, sister or friend. 

We’ll work with you to choose treatments based on your symptoms, age, fibroid size and future pregnancy plans. To ensure you have the care plan that works best for you, we may suggest non-surgical and conservative approaches, minimally invasive procedures or traditional surgeries.

For some women, fibroid symptoms can be managed without surgery. We’ll walk you through conservative options that can help reduce symptoms and fit your lifestyle and health goals, including:

• Medication: Hormone-containing medications like birth control pills or GnRH agonists (medication that reduces your estrogen production) can manage your symptoms. Birth control pills can reduce your bleeding and pain. GnRH agonists shrink fibroids. When you stop taking the medicine, your fibroids return to their full size.
• Watchful waiting: We may recommend this approach if you have mild symptoms that are easily managed. We will monitor your symptoms and fibroids for any changes over time. 

When symptoms require more advanced treatment, minimally invasive procedures can offer effective relief with shorter recovery times. We’ll help you understand your options and choose the approach that’s right for you.

These options may include the following:

• Myomectomy: We use this surgical procedure to remove the fibroids from your uterus. If possible, we will use a laparoscopic or robotic approach to help you recover more quickly. But it still may take several weeks to get back to your regular routine.
• Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE): This one-hour, minimally invasive, image-guided procedure can shrink fibroids by blocking their blood supply. We partner with specially trained interventional radiologists in the Interventional Radiology Clinic at Roper Hospital for this procedure. UFE may cause infertility. We will explain the risks and benefits so you can decide if it’s right for you.

If you have severe symptoms and other treatment options aren’t working, we may recommend a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). Typically, we use minimally invasive techniques for this procedure, but we can also perform a traditional, open surgery when needed.  
 
Recovery from a hysterectomy typically takes four to six weeks.

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous (benign) tumors that grow in the muscle tissue of your uterus. These tumors affect between 20% and 80% of women by age 50. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. 
 
There are four types of uterine fibroids. They grow in different parts of your uterus and can cause different symptoms. Our compassionate, expert gynecologists will help you choose the best treatment option for your type of uterine fibroid.

The types of uterine fibroids include:

• Intramural fibroids: These are the most common uterine fibroids. They grow in the muscular wall of your uterus. As they develop, they make your uterus look larger than normal. They can cause frequent urination, heavy or longer periods, lower back pain, and pelvic pain or pressure.
• Pedunculated fibroids: These fibroids don’t grow in your uterus. Instead, they’re connected to it by a thin stalk. They can grow outward into your pelvis or inward into your uterus. They can cause constipation, frequent urination, heavy, longer or irregular periods that produce blood clots, pelvic pressure or discomfort and sudden, sharp pelvic pain.
• Submucosal fibroids: These less-common fibroids can cause the most significant symptoms. They develop just below the lining of your uterus and may stick out into your uterine cavity. They can cause heavy, longer or irregular periods that include blood clots, anemia due to heavy blood loss and fertility problems or recurrent pregnancy loss.
• Subserosal fibroids: These fibroids grow on the outside of your uterus just below the outermost layer. They extend out into your pelvis, so they’re less likely to cause period problems. Instead, they can create pressure that leads to a feeling of fullness in your abdomen, frequent urination, constipation and pelvic pain or discomfort.

No. We can help most women manage their symptoms with medication or watchful waiting. But when these methods don’t provide the relief you need from severe symptoms, such as heavy bleeding, significant pain or fertility problems, surgery is an option.

Yes, fibroids can cause fertility and pregnancy problems. Large fibroids can block your fallopian tubes, decrease blood flow to your uterine lining or cause uterine inflammation to prevent pregnancy. Fibroids can also increase your risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, placenta problems, breech position and C-section.

Most uterine fibroids grow slowly over several years. Their growth rate can depend on your age, hormones and the size and type of fibroid.

Almost all uterine fibroids are noncancerous. In fact, less than 1 in 1,000 fibroids are cancerous. You can also have peace of mind knowing they don’t increase your risk of uterine cancer either.