The uterus, or womb, is part of the female reproductive system. Often described as pear-shaped, it is located in the lower abdomen. The uterus lies in close proximity to the ovaries, where unfertilized eggs are stored. During ovulation the eggs travel down the fallopian tubes to the uterus. Fertilized eggs implant and grow in the uterus. Uterine fibroid tumors are the most common type of neoplasm in the... Read more >
Only ten to twenty percent of women with fibroids experience symptoms or complications that require treatment. The remaining eighty to ninety percent do not have noticeable symptoms. These women may only become aware that they have a benign tumor after a pelvic examination. Women who do experience uterine fibroid symptoms may suffer from pelvic pain, abnormal menstruation, and a variety of other... Read more >
The exact cause of uterine fibroids is unknown. What is known is that these benign tumors respond to hormones, specifically estrogen. Women are most likely to develop leiomyomas between the onset of menstruation and the beginning of menopause. Young women who have yet to enter menstruation rarely develop fibroids, and after menopause the growths usually diminish in size and symptoms decrease in... Read more >
Diagnosis of uterine fibroids is usually straightforward. After a pelvic exam, a hysteroscopy, or other diagnostic tool is ordered to rule out conditions with similar symptoms. The Pelvic Exam Most fibroids are detected during a routine pelvic exam. As the doctor palpates the abdomen, he or she can feel unusual growths or solid areas in the uterus. After diagnostic tests confirm the presence of fibroids, another... Read more >
Gynecology offers a number of possible uterine fibroid treatment options. Treatment, however, is not always needed. While uterine fibroids are the most common non-cancerous tumor seen in gynecology, most fibroids (also known as uterine leiomyomas) are asymptomatic—that is, they don't cause any symptoms. Many women only find out they have fibroids after a routine pelvic exam reveals the neoplasms. (A... Read more >
No medication cures uterine fibroids, but a number of drugs are available to control symptoms. Medication therapy covers a broad range: from pain management to pre-operative shrinking of the fibroid. Symptom Management: NSAIDs and Birth Control Pills Over the counter NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) may be used to treat mild pain symptoms. Severe symptoms require more aggressive intervention than... Read more >
Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a relatively new fibroid treatment: the procedure has only been widely used since 1996. Between 1996 and 2002, as many as 30,000 uterine artery embolization procedures have been performed. The procedure is popular because it offers an 85 percent success rate with very low chance of complications. The Procedure An interventional radiologist performs the UAE. A small incision... Read more >
Every year, over 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the United States. In contrast, less than 40,000 myomectomies are performed. A myomectomy surgically removes fibroid tissue while leaving the rest of the uterus alone. It is the surgery recommended for women who wish to become pregnant after fibroid surgery. A myomectomy may also help control leiomyoma symptoms until menopause, when naturally lower estrogen... Read more >
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