Fibroids
What will happen to me?
If you have fibroids, you may wonder what will happen to you. A lot depends on whether you have treatment. Here's what we know from the research.
- If you don't have any symptoms, you may never have any problems from your fibroids.
Source:
DeWaay DJ, Syrop CH, Nygaard IE, et al.
Natural history of uterine polyps and leiomyomata.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2002; 100: 3-7.
1 - Your fibroids could stay the same size for at least a year.
Source:
Carlson KJ, Miller BA, Fowler FJ Jr.
The Maine Women's Health Study: I. Outcomes of hysterectomy.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1994; 83: 556-565.
2 - If your fibroids are growing, waiting to treat them could make surgery harder on you and more difficult for your surgeon to
do because they've gotten bigger.
Source:
Hillis SD, Marchbanks PA, Peterson HB.
Uterine size and risk of complications among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for leiomyomas.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1996; 87: 539-543.
3 - Your fibroids probably won't keep you from getting pregnant.
Source:
Practice Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
Myomas and reproductive function.
Fertility and Sterility. 2004; 82 (supplement): S111-116.
4 For more, see Fibroids and getting pregnant. - If you're pregnant, your fibroids probably won't cause any problems. They'll likely stay the same size or even shrink during
your pregnancy.
Source:
Lumsden MA, Wallace EM.
Clinical presentation of uterine fibroids.
Baillieres Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 1998; 12: 177-195.
5 For more, see Fibroids and pregnancy. - Your fibroids will probably shrink when you go through
menopause
When a woman stops having periods, it is called menopause. This usually happens around the age of 50.menopause.Source:
DeWaay DJ, Syrop CH, Nygaard IE, et al.
Natural history of uterine polyps and leiomyomata.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2002; 100: 3-7.
1
- Your fibroids are likely to grow back soon after you stop taking hormone treatments.
Source:
Friedman AJ, Hoffman DI, Comite F, et al.
Treatment of leiomyomata uteri with leuprolide acetate depot: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study.
Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1991; 77: 720-725.
6 - Fibroids may grow back after surgery to remove them (called myomectomy). A quarter of women get fibroids again in the 10 years after having this surgery.
Source:
Practice Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.
Myomas and reproductive function.
Fertility and Sterility. 2004; 82 (supplement): S111-116.
4 - You still have a good chance of getting pregnant after having surgery to remove fibroids.
Source:
Seracchioli R, Rossi S, Govoni F, et al.
Fertility and obstetric outcome after laparoscopic myomectomy of large myomata: a randomized comparison with abdominal myomectomy.
Human Reproduction. 2000; 15: 2663-2668.
7 - Most women who've had surgery to remove their womb (called a hysterectomy) say it made their life better because they didn't have symptoms anymore.
Source:
Lumsden MA.
Embolization versus myomectomy versus hysterectomy: which is best, when?
Human Reproduction. 2002; 17: 253-259.
8 But you can't get pregnant after this surgery.
Sources for the information on this page:
- DeWaay DJ, Syrop CH, Nygaard IE, et al.Natural history of uterine polyps and leiomyomata.Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2002; 100: 3-7.
- Carlson KJ, Miller BA, Fowler FJ Jr.The Maine Women's Health Study: I. Outcomes of hysterectomy.Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1994; 83: 556-565.
- Hillis SD, Marchbanks PA, Peterson HB.Uterine size and risk of complications among women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for leiomyomas.Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1996; 87: 539-543.
- Practice Committee of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.Myomas and reproductive function.Fertility and Sterility. 2004; 82 (supplement): S111-116.
- Lumsden MA, Wallace EM.Clinical presentation of uterine fibroids.Baillieres Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 1998; 12: 177-195.
- Friedman AJ, Hoffman DI, Comite F, et al.Treatment of leiomyomata uteri with leuprolide acetate depot: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study.Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1991; 77: 720-725.
- Seracchioli R, Rossi S, Govoni F, et al.Fertility and obstetric outcome after laparoscopic myomectomy of large myomata: a randomized comparison with abdominal myomectomy.Human Reproduction. 2000; 15: 2663-2668.
- Lumsden MA.Embolization versus myomectomy versus hysterectomy: which is best, when?Human Reproduction. 2002; 17: 253-259.
This information was last updated on May 12, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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