When a condition affects 70% of a certain population, it’s helpful to know what you might be up against.
We’re talking about uterine fibroids — a common gynecologic development for women. This condition is one that board-certified gynecologist Dr. Karen F. Brodman is well acquainted with. Here’s what we want all women of reproductive age to know about uterine fibroids.
We’ve established that uterine fibroids affect about 70% of women of reproductive age, which means any woman between puberty and menopause.
This number is an educated guess, as many women with uterine fibroids are none the wiser, as they don’t cause any symptoms. Whatever the precise number, suffice it to say this is a common condition in women.
While uterine fibroids are abnormal growths in the uterus, most are benign and don’t lead to cancer.
There are several types of uterine fibroids, including:
In addition to location, fibroids can also range in size — from a kernel of rice to the size of a grapefruit or larger.
The size and location of uterine fibroids dictate whether symptoms develop. If you have a large fibroid or it’s located in a sensitive area, you can develop pelvic pain.
This pain might flare with your periods or during sex. It can also present as a dull ache in your abdomen or lower back.
Pelvic pain related to fibroids can also be exacerbated by bloating, which is common with symptomatic fibroids.
If you’re struggling with fibroid-related pelvic pain, we can address the symptoms through hormone medications and/or through minimally invasive surgery (myomectomy) in which the problematic growths are removed.
Problematic fibroids can interfere with conception and pregnancy. For example, fibroids can block the fallopian tubes, making conception more challenging.
As for pregnancy, large fibroids located inside the uterus can distort the organ and raise a woman’s risks for preterm delivery, miscarriage, and Cesarean section delivery.
While we’ve listed some possible complications of fibroids, the good news is that, in most cases, these growths don’t pose any problems. If they do, we can treat them prior to conception so they don't affect your future pregnancy.
If you’re concerned about uterine fibroids or you have more questions about these common growths, we’re just a click or phone call away.
To get started, simply contact us at your convenience to schedule an appointment with Dr. Brodman at our New York City office, which is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
