{"id":51293,"date":"2019-04-18T15:14:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T13:14:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/?p=51293"},"modified":"2022-04-12T17:35:38","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T15:35:38","slug":"fibroid-removal-necessary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivi-fertility.com\/blog\/fibroid-removal-necessary\/","title":{"rendered":"Fibroid removal: what is it and when is it necessary?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fibroids<\/strong> are small growths inside the uterus and the condition is surprisingly common, with around 1 in 3 women developing them at some time in their lives. In many cases there is no need for fibroid removal<\/strong> and they often diminish over time, particularly after the menopause. In fact many people only discover that they have uterine fibroids<\/strong> by accident, during the course of a routine examination. However, once you know you have the condition it can naturally be a cause for concern, particularly for women in their childbearing years who may feel some anxiety about its potential effect on their fertility.<\/p>\n

In this IVI blog article, we look at what fibroids are and what causes them. We also examine the different options for fibroid removal surgery<\/strong> where it becomes necessary and, if you do need treatment, estimates of fibroid removal surgery recovery time<\/strong> after the different types of treatment.<\/p>\n

What are fibroids, what are the symptoms and what causes them?<\/h3>\n

First, the good news. Fibroids<\/strong> are almost invariably non-cancerous growths. Also known as leiomyomas or myomas, uterine fibroids do not increase the risk of uterine cancer. They range in size from tiny seedlings that are not visible without a microscope to a bulky mass that can at its most extreme distort the shape of the uterus and put pressure on surrounding organs. There could be a single one, or multiple fibroids. A great many women have fibroids, but are unaware of this because they have no symptoms. They are frequently discovered during a routine pelvic or ultrasound prenatal examination.<\/p>\n

When symptoms do occur, they can include heavy menstrual bleeding, periods that last longer than the normal week, pelvic pressure or pain, difficulty with urinating, constipation, back ache or leg pains. You should consult your doctor if any of these symptoms persist and do not go away of their own accord, or if you experience severe vaginal bleeding or a sudden-onset sharp pelvic pain.<\/p>\n

The cause of fibroids has not been precisely pinpointed, but clinical indications point to the involvement of oestrogen and progesterone, the hormones that stimulate the development of the uterine lining each month, particularly since fibroids contain more of these hormones than surrounding muscle tissue. The fact that they tend to reduce post-menopause because of decreased hormone production would seem to support this hypothesis.<\/p>\n

What are the options for fibroid removal surgery?<\/h3>\n

The choices for fibroid removal surgery depend, obviously, on the severity of the condition. But there is another factor that needs to be considered in the treatment, and that is whether the patient is of childbearing age and wishes to retain her fertility. In this case the most drastic and effective treatment, which would be hysterectomy, is ruled out. Let\u2019s take a look at the other possibilities.<\/p>\n

Absence of treatment: watchful waiting<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s perfectly possible in many cases that the best course of action is \u2018watchful waiting\u2019 which is the accepted medical term for doing nothing, but keeping an eye on how and whether the condition develops into more of a problem. Since fibroids frequently have no symptoms, or mild symptoms which can be lived with, and rarely interfere with a successful pregnancy, this is a perfectly sensible strategy.<\/p>\n

Medication for fibroid treatment<\/h3>\n

Medication for fibroids falls into two distinct types: one that treats the symptoms in order to alleviate them, and another whose aim is to shrink or reduce the fibroids themselves.<\/p>\n