Uterine Fibroids
What are fibroids?
Fibroids are benign growths that occur in the uterus. They’re also sometimes referred to as leiomyomas or myomas. These types of growths form from muscle tissue and are never cancerous. They vary in both size and number.
Your risk of getting fibroids increases as you get older. Other risk factors for fibroids include:
- Obesity
- Family history
- Being African American
- High red meat or pork consumption
How do I know I have a fibroid?
While fibroids are common, many women don’t even know they have them because they don’t have symptoms. You may only find out you have a fibroid after an examination at Pure OBGYN.
Common symptoms of fibroids include:
- Heavy bleeding
- Painful intercourse
- Back or pelvic pain
- Increase in abdominal girth
- The feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region
- Frequent urination
- Infertility
How are fibroids treated?
There are a number of ways your doctor at Pure OBGYN can treat your fibroid. If you’re not experiencing any symptoms, your doctor may take a wait-and-see approach.
For pain, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers. If you’re experiencing heavy bleeding, you might benefit from low-dose birth control.
Your doctor may also suggest gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist medication Lupron®, which is given as an injection, implant, or nasal spray, to shrink the fibroid.
If your symptoms are affecting your quality of life and conservative treatments have failed, your Pure OBGYN doctor may recommend surgery.
Common surgical procedures used to remove fibroids include:
- Myomectomy
- Myolysis
- Hysterectomy
- Endometrial ablation
- Uterine fibroid embolization
What is a myomectomy?
A myomectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the fibroid. It’s the preferred method of fibroid removal at Pure OBGYN, especially for women who are planning to have children. This procedure removes only the fibroid.
Although the procedure can be done as an open surgery, the team at Pure OBGYN prefers to perform myomectomies laparoscopically to reduce healing time and risk of infection.
While a myomectomy can successfully remove your fibroid, it doesn’t prevent new ones from forming.
For help with fibroid management, call the office or book an appointment online.
