Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fibroids
Fibroids,ormyomas,aregrowthsorbenigntumoursthatforminsidetheuterus(womb).Around fourin10womenovertheageof40willhavefibroids.Nooneknowswhyfibroidsdevelop,butitis suspectedthatthesexhormonesoestrogenandprogesteroneplaysignificantroles.Thisis becausefibroidsrarelygrowinprepubescentgirlsandpostmenopausalwomen.Pre-existing fibroidsstopgrowing,andmayevenshrink,onceawomanpassesthemenopause. Fibroidsoftencausenoproblems,butmayoccasionallybeassociatedwithinfertility,miscarriage andprematurelabour.Otherpossibleproblemsincludeheavy,lengthyandpainfulperiods. Treatmentdependsonthesize,numberandlocationofthefibroids,butmayincludedrugs, proceduresperformedunderlocalanaestheticandsurgery.Fibroidsrarelyturncancerous. Symptoms Mostwomenwithfibroidshavenosymptoms.Whenpresent,symptomsmayinclude: Heavyperiods Lengthyperiods Periodpain Spottingbetweenperiods Painfulintercourse Asensationofheavinessorpressureintheback,bowelandbladder Frequenturination Alumporswellinginthelowerabdomen.
Common complications Fibroidscancauseavarietyofcomplications,including: Anaemiaexcessivemenstrualbloodlosscancauseanaemia,adisordercharacterisedby thebodysinabilitytocarrysufficientoxygenintheblood.Symptomsofanaemiainclude breathlessness,fatigueandpaleness. Urination problemslargefibroidscanbulgetheuterusagainstthebladder,causinga sensationoffullnessordiscomfortandtheneedtourinateoften. Infertilitythepresenceoffibroidscaninterferewithimplantationofthefertilisedeggin anumberofways.Forexample,theeggmaytrytoburrowintoafibroid,orfibroidsclose totheuterinecavitymaypropopentheuterus,makingsuccessfulimplantationdifficult. Miscarriage and premature deliveryfibroidscanreducebloodflowtotheplacentaor maycompeteforspacewiththedevelopingbaby.
Fibroids
Page1of2
Treatment Treatmentdependsonthelocation,sizeandnumberofthefibroids,butmayinclude: Monitoringifthefibroidsarecausingnosymptomsandarenotlarge,awaitandsee approachisusuallyadopted. Drugs suchashormones,usedincombinationtoshrinkthefibroidspriortosurgery. Arterial embolisation underlocalanaesthetic,afinetubeispassedviaanarteryinthe armorlegintothemainarterysupplyingthefibroidwithblood.Thewholeprocessis monitoredbyx-ray.Fineparticles(likesand)aretheninjectedintothearterytoblockthe bloodsupplytothefibroid.Thefibroidslowlydiesandsymptomsshouldsettleoverafew months. Hysteroscopythefibroidsareremovedviathecervix,usingahysteroscope. Laparoscopyorkeyholesurgery,whereathintubeisinsertedthroughtheabdomento removethefibroids. Open surgerylargerfibroidsneedtoberemovedviaanabdominalincision.This procedureweakenstheuterinewallandmakesCaesareansectionsforsubsequent pregnanciesmorelikely. Hysterectomythesurgicalremovalofsome,orall,oftheuterus.Pregnancyisno longerpossibleafterahysterectomy.
Things to remember
This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:
FamilyPlanningVictoria
Fibroids
Page2of2