Fibroids, which are also known as leiomyomas, are non-cancerous tumors, or growths, that appear on the walls of the uterus. It’s unknown why they occur, but fibroids affect at least 20 percent of all women during their lifetime, with occurrence numbers as high as 80 percent. Fibroids are made up of the same smooth muscle fibers found in the uterine wall (myometrium), but are denser than normal myometrium. They are usually round and have no predictable growth pattern. Some are small like a seed while others can grow as large as a small melon, causing considerable discomfort. Some fibroids can increase the size of the uterus to the point that it reaches the rib cage. Fibroids are growths, but are not indicative of an increased risk of cancer. Occasionally malignant growths on the muscles inside the womb, called leiomyosarcoma, can develop. Fibroids typically appear before pregnancy, but most women aren’t aware they have them until they’re discovered during an exam or ultrasound. Symptoms of fibroids during pregnancy include:
If you suffer from any of these symptoms, it’s important you let your physician know as soon as possible. The majority of women who have fibroids during pregnancy don’t have complications. But an estimated 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women with fibroids may struggle with symptoms. While fibroids are unlikely to affect the baby, the risk of miscarriage or early delivery is slightly higher with fibroids. If the fibroids are particularly large, they can alter how the baby is positioned for delivery or obstruct the birthing process, which increases the need to have a cesarean delivery. The most common problems for women with fibroids are:
Because of an increase in hormones during pregnancy, fibroids can grow larger during that time. Alternatively, cases exist where fibroids have also shrunk. You doctor will best be able to guide you on the proper treatment. The most common treatment option is bed rest. If necessary, you may require some form of medication. Another treatment option is Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), which is a non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment performed by an Interventional Radiologist that shrinks the fibroids to provide relief. With UFE, a thin tube is inserted into the blood vessels that supply blood to the fibroid. Compounds are injected into the blood vessels, blocking the blood supply to the fibroid and causing it to shrink. UFE is 90 percent effective in reducing symptoms caused by fibroids. The Interventional Radiologists of Interventional Physicians of Indiana perform this procedure at Community Hospitals North and East.
Medically Reviewed by Nivin Todd, MD on November 08, 2020 Fibroids are tumors that grow from muscle tissue in the uterus. They are not cancerous. They can be as small as a pea or larger than a grapefruit. They can grow outside the uterine wall, inside the uterine cavity, or within the uterine wall. Many women have multiple fibroids of different sizes. An estimated 40% to 60% of women have fibroids by age 35. Up to 80% of women have them by age 50. But detecting them during pregnancy isn’t always easy. That’s because it’s hard for doctors to tell fibroids from the thickening of uterus muscles that occurs during pregnancy. For this reason, doctors think the number of known cases is lower than the real number. Most women who have been diagnosed with fibroids go on to have normal pregnancies, but sometimes they can cause challenges. Most fibroids don’t grow while you’re pregnant, but if it happens it most likely will be during your first 3 months (first trimester). That’s because fibroids need a hormone called estrogen to grow. Your body produces more of it when you’re pregnant. The primary problems that could occur are:
As your uterus expands to make room for your baby, it can push against your fibroids. This can cause a number of issues during your pregnancy: Many studies show that having uterine fibroids increase your odds of having a cesarean section. That could be because the fibroids can keep the uterus from contracting and they can also block your birth canal, slowing down the progress of your labor. Women who have fibroids are six times more likely than other women to need a C-section. Breech birth is another potential problem. In a normal birth, the baby comes out the birth canal head first. In a breech birth, the baby’s butt or feet come out first. Fibroids often shrink after pregnancy. In one study, researchers found that, 3 to 6 months after delivery, 70% of women who had live births saw their fibroids shrink more than 50%. 1. Day Baird D, Dunson DB, Hill MC, et al. High cumulative incidence of uterine leiomyoma in black and white women: ultrasound evidence. 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