What are uterine fibroids?
One of the factors that has an adverse effect on conception are fibroids. These are the non-cancerous tumors in the uterus which arise from the uterine muscles. These are some of the most commonly found tumors in the female genital tract. The presence of the tumors hurt pregnancy chances.
What are the symptoms of fibroids?:
About 60% of all women in India suffer from fibroids. The symptoms related with Fibroids are:
- Pain in abdomen
- Pain in lower back
- Pain in pelvis
- Infertility in reproductive age
- Heavy, irregular, painful menstruation
While the above are the symptoms that generally presented in cases of patients suffering from fibroids, most the patients are asymptomatic. Also, some patients may also exhibit signs like lump in the abdomen, issues in urinary retention and bowel movements.
What are the causes of fibroids?
The cause of fibroids is unknown as such. There may be a genetic component involved. This is a hormone dependent issue with an increasing size throughout the reproductive life and shrinks after menopause. Fibroid are also known to increase on size during pregnancy.
The treatment options depend on the age of the patient, severity of the symptoms, size and location of the fibroids and the desire for pregnancy. Hormonal medications, birth control pills and analgesics work with patients experiencing pain and heavy bleeding. Whereas, in case of patients having difficulty in conception, surgical removal of fibroids through myomectomy might offer the best solution. Patients who do not intend on getting pregnant in the future can opt for uterine artery embolization, progestin IUD, or surgical removal of uterus through hysterectomy.
In managing fibroids, surgical management options have shown to have a better success rate as compared to medical management. During the course of treatment, patients must bear in mind to take their medications regularly and on time along with following a healthy diet, regular exercise regimen and taking adequate rest.
