Uterine Fibroid Fact Sheet

Uterine Fibroids, which are abnormal growths in a woman’s uterus, affect 20 to 80 percent of women in their lifetime. These tumors can cause severe abdominal pain and heavy periods.

What Factors Increase your Chance of Getting Fibroids?

There are many factors that increase a woman’s risk of developing fibroids, including:

• Genetics – A family history of uterine fibroids increases your chance of getting fibroids.

• Age – Women ages 30 and up are more prone to developing fibroids. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink on their own.

• Hormonal Imbalance – An abnormal amount of estrogen and progesterone might cause the growth of fibroids. During pregnancy, women produce more estrogen and progesterone, making pregnancy another cause of uterine fibroids.

• Diet – A diet that is high in red meat and ham has been proven to increase your chance of getting uterine fibroids. However, eating a lot of green vegetables can decrease your chance of developing fibroids.

Do I Have Uterine Fibroids?

Most fibroids don’t cause any symptoms, so it’s hard for most women to tell whether they have fibroids. When symptoms do present themselves, they often include heavy bleeding, frequent urination, painful intercourse, lower back pain and a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen. If you experience these symptoms, a doctor will most likely do an ultrasound, MRI or X-ray to properly diagnose the condition.

Treating Uterine Fibroids

For women who do experience symptoms of fibroids, doctors might recommend the following treatment options:

• Medications – Low-dose birth controls can help stop fibroids from growing. They can also control heavy bleeding. A non-hormonal prescription medication Tranexamic acid will also reduce menstrual blood flow. If pain is the only symptom, over-the-counter pain medicine will help.
• Surgery – If your fibroids cause mild to severe symptoms, surgery might be the most effective form of treatment. Different procedures for uterine fibroids include:
  • Myomectomy – Surgery to remove uterine fibroids without taking out healthy tissue via laparoscopic/robotic or bikini incision approach.
  • Hysterectomy – Surgical removal of the uterus with or without the cervix being removed via laparoscopic/robotic or bikini incision approach.
  • Endometrial Ablation – Doctors render the uterine lining inactive by radio frequency energy to control heavy bleeding caused by fibroids.
  • Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) – UAE is a minimally invasive procedure that blocks blood flow to the uterus. It is a treatment for fibroids for women who are not planning a pregnancy in the future.
  • Laparoscopic Guided Radio Frequency Ablation (Acessa Procedure) – Allows for destruction of individual fibroids under visual and sonographic guidance. It is best performed in patients with symptomatic fibroids.

Contact our office for information on uterine fibroids.