If You Are A Woman Who Reached 15-45 Years Or Want To Know About Uterine Fibroids, Read This Article.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years (15-45years). Also called myomas or leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs), uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.

Fibroids range in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye, to bulky masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus. You can have a single fibroid or multiple ones. In extreme cases, multiple fibroids can expand the uterus so much that it reaches the rib cage and can add weight.

Many women have uterine fibroids sometime during their lives. But you might not know you have uterine fibroids because they often cause no symptoms. Your doctor may discover fibroids incidentally during a pelvic exam or prenatal ultrasound.

Causes of Uterine Fibroids.

Genetic changes. 

Many fibroids contain changes in genes that differ from those in normal uterine muscle cells.

Hormones. 

Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that stimulate development of the uterine lining during each menstrual cycle in preparation for pregnancy, appear to promote the growth of fibroids.

Fibroids contain more estrogen and progesterone receptors than normal uterine muscle cells do. Fibroids tend to shrink after menopause due to a decrease in hormone production.

Other growth factors. 

Substances that help the body maintain tissues, such as insulin-like growth factor, may affect fibroid growth.

Extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM is the material that makes cells stick together, like mortar between bricks. ECM is increased in fibroids and makes them fibrous. ECM also stores growth factors and causes biologic changes in the cells themselves.

Doctors believe that uterine fibroids develop from a stem cell in the smooth muscular tissue of the uterus (myometrium). A single cell divides repeatedly, eventually creating a firm, rubbery mass distinct from nearby tissue.

The growth patterns of uterine fibroids vary — they may grow slowly or rapidly, or they may remain the same size. Some fibroids go through growth spurts, and some may shrink on their own.

Many fibroids that have been present during pregnancy shrink or disappear after pregnancy, as the uterus goes back to a normal size.

Risk factors of Uterine Fibroids.

There are few known risk factors for uterine fibroids, other than being a woman of reproductive age. Factors that can have an impact on fibroid development include:

Race. 

Although any woman of reproductive age can develop fibroids, black women are more likely to have fibroids than are women of other racial groups. In addition, black women have fibroids at younger ages, and they're also likely to have more or larger fibroids, along with more-severe symptoms.

Heredity. 

If your mother or sister had fibroids, you're at increased risk of developing them.

Other factors. Onset of menstruation at an early age; obesity; a vitamin D deficiency; having a diet higher in red meat and lower in green vegetables, fruit and dairy; and drinking alcohol, including beer, appear to increase your risk of developing fibroids.

You may not know you have uterine fibroids because they often cause no symptoms. If you do have fibroids that are giving your problems, it may be because of where they’re located, the number you have, or how big they are.

These noncancerous tumors can be as small as a pea or larger than a grapefruit. They can grow outside or within the uterine wall, or inside the uterine cavity. A woman can have many uterine fibroids of different sizes.

The most common symptoms of uterine fibroids include:

Heavy, prolonged, or painful menses.

Pain in the lower abdomen or back

Painful intercourse

Frequent urination

Discomfort in the rectum.

Visit the nearest hospital if you have any of the following issues, including:

Chronic pelvic pain

Difficulty emptying bladder

Inability to control urine flow

Very heavy, painful periods

Lump or mass in your abdomen

You should see your doctor immediately if you have uncontrollable bleeding, or sudden sharp pelvic pain.

What are the types of Uterine Fibroids?

The type of fibroid a woman develops depends on its location in or on the uterus.

These include:

Intramural fibroids

Intramural fibroids are the most common type of fibroid. These types appear within the muscular wall of the uterus. Intramural fibroids may grow larger and can stretch your womb.

Subserosal fibroids

Subserosal fibroids form on the outside of your uterus, which is called the serosa. They may grow large enough to make your womb appear bigger on one side.

Pedunculated fibroids

Subserosal tumors can develop a stem, a slender base that supports the tumor. When they do, they’re known as pedunculated fibroids.

Submucosal fibroids

These types of tumors develop in the middle muscle layer, or myometrium, of your uterus. Submucosal tumors aren’t as common as the other types.

How to diagnose Uterine Fibroids?

For a proper diagnosis, you’ll need to see a gynecologist to get a pelvic exam. This exam is used to check the condition, size, and shape of your uterus. You may also need other tests, which include:

Ultrasound

An ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of your uterus on a screen. This will allow your doctor to see its internal structures and any fibroids present. A transvaginal ultrasound, in which the ultrasound wand is inserted into the vagina, may provide clearer pictures since it’s closer to the uterus during this procedure.

Pelvic MRI

This in-depth imaging test produces pictures of your uterus, ovaries, and other pelvic organs.

What are the Treatment of Uterine Fibroids?

Your doctor will develop a treatment plan based on your age, the size of your fibroids, and your overall health. You may receive a combination of treatments.

Medications to regulate your hormone levels may be prescribed to shrink fibroids.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, such as leuprolide (Lupron), will cause your estrogen and progesterone levels to drop. This will eventually stop menstruation and shrink fibroids.

GnRH antagonists also help to shrink fibroids. They work by stopping your body from producing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Examples include:

Ganirelix acetate, an injectable drug

cetrorelix acetate (Cetrotide), an injectable drug

elagolix, which is present in the oral drug elagolix/estradiol/norethindrone acetate (Oriahnn).

Other options that can help control bleeding and pain, but won’t shrink or eliminate fibroids, include:

an intrauterine device (IUD) that releases the hormone progestin

over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil)

birth control pills.

Surgery

Surgery to remove very large or multiple growths may be performed. This is known as a myomectomy. An abdominal myomectomy involves making a large incision in the abdomen to access the uterus and remove the fibroids. The surgery can also be performed laparoscopically, using a few small incisions into which surgical tools and a camera are inserted. Fibroids might grow back after surgery.

If your condition worsens, or if no other treatments work, your physician may perform a hysterectomy. However, this means that you won’t be able to bear children in the future.

Noninvasive or minimally invasive procedures

A newer and completely noninvasive surgical procedure is forced ultrasound surgery (FUS). You lie down inside a special MRI machine that allows doctors to visualize the inside of your uterus. High-energy, high-frequency sound waves are directed at the fibroids to ablate, or destroy, them.

Myolysis procedures (such as Acessa) shrink fibroids using heat sources like an electric current or laser, while cryomyolysis freezes the fibroids. Endometrial ablation involves inserting a special instrument into your uterus to destroy the uterine lining using heat, electric current, hot water, or extreme cold.

Another nonsurgical option is uterine artery embolization. In this procedure, small particles are injected into the uterus in order to cut off the fibroids’ blood supply.

What can be expected in the long term?

Your prognosis will depend on the size and location of your fibroids. Fibroids may not need treatment if they are small or don’t produce symptoms.

If you’re pregnant and have fibroids, or become pregnant and have fibroids, your doctor will carefully monitor your condition. In most cases, fibroids don’t cause problems during pregnancy. Speak with your doctor if you expect to become pregnant and have fibroids.

Complications of Uterine Fibroids.

Although uterine fibroids usually aren't dangerous, they can cause discomfort and may lead to complications such as a drop in red blood cells (anemia), which causes fatigue, from heavy blood loss. Rarely, a transfusion is needed due to blood loss.

Pregnancy and Fibroids.

Fibroids usually don't interfere with getting pregnant. However, it's possible that fibroids — especially submucosal fibroids — could cause infertility or pregnancy loss.

Fibroids may also raise the risk of certain pregnancy complications, such as placental abruption, fetal growth restriction and preterm deliver.

What are the preventions of Uterine Fibroids?

Although researchers continue to study the causes of fibroid tumors, little scientific evidence is available on how to prevent them. Preventing uterine fibroids may not be possible, but only a small percentage of these tumors require treatment.

But, by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a normal weight and eating fruits and vegetables, you may be able to decrease your fibroid risk.

Also, some research suggests that using hormonal contraceptives may be associated with a lower risk of fibroids.

Sources:

Healthiness

Mayo clinic

WebMD