Also known as leiomyomas, fibroids are exceptionally common: Up to four in five women (80%) develop these abnormal uterine growths before menopause (around the age of 50).
At New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, our team often discovers fibroids when investigating the cause of abnormally heavy menstrual periods or symptoms like persistent pelvic “fullness.” We also sometimes find them inadvertently during a routine pelvic exam.
Here, Dr. Rania Ibrahim and Dr. Christina Parmar discuss how fibroid growths, often harmless, can become a cause for concern and affect one's health and well-being.
A fibroid is an abnormal, round mass (tumor) of muscle and tissue cells that forms within or on the uterus. Fibroids are classified into different types depending on where they grow and how they’re attached to the uterus:
Also called a leiomyoma or simply a "myoma," fibroids can grow as a sole nodule, but several fibroids are usually growing in clusters. Fibroids come in various sizes: Some are so small they can only be seen with a microscope; others are grapefruit-sized or larger.
Fibroids are virtually always benign, meaning they're non-cancerous, noninvasive, and often slow-growing or stable. Nearly all uterine fibroids are muscular masses made up of harmless cells — and they don't turn cancerous over time. Having fibroids doesn't increase your risk of developing other forms of uterine cancer, either.
Cancerous fibroids (leiomyosarcomas) are extremely rare, occurring in less than one in 1,000 cases. Experts believe that these rare cancers do not arise from an existing benign fibroid.
Additionally, small to mid-sized fibroids don't usually cause symptoms or health concerns unless they're in a sensitive location or grow larger. Small fibroids often remain "silent" and undetected, and fibroids of all sizes tend to shrink as menopause approaches.
Up to one in three fibroids (25-30% of cases) cause symptoms and require treatment because of their location, large or increasing size, or all the above. Common symptoms include:
Let’s take a closer look at how these symptoms can affect your health and well-being:
When fibroids cause unexpected spotting between periods, abnormally long periods, very heavy bleeding, or intense menstrual pain, it can leave you sidelined until your bleeding is more controlled and you feel better. For some women, fibroid-related period changes are a major monthly disruption.
Very heavy and/or long menstrual bleeding can deplete your iron stores and lead to iron deficiency anemia. Signs of anemia include fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, pale skin, and heart palpitations.
In addition to iron supplementation — and in severe cases, a blood transfusion — anemia treatment involves resolving the underlying cause of heavy menstrual bleeding. Hormonal birth control or other cycle-controlling medications may be the right choice in some cases; surgical fibroid removal may be the best solution in others.
Large fibroids pressing on other structures in the pelvic cavity can cause a constant, uncomfortable feeling of pelvic fullness that undermines your well-being. You may experience persistent lower back pain, pain during sex, constipation, and frequent urination.
Although not common, growing uterine fibroids can block your fallopian tubes and cause fertility issues that make it harder for you to get pregnant.
Fibroids that are large or in a bad location may increase your risk of complications during pregnancy, including abnormal placental attachment, preterm labor, the need for delivery by cesarean section, postpartum hemorrhage, and miscarriage.
If you have fibroids — and you have bothersome symptoms or you’re worried about how they might affect your fertility and a future pregnancy — we can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, today.