Fibroids

Treatment based on your symptoms and plans

Maybe you didn’t even know you had a fibroid until today’s checkup. Or maybe you have been struggling with heavy periods or pressure in your lower abdomen for a long time. Fibroids are benign growths in the muscle wall of the uterus. They can be small or large, single or multiple — and they can cause different problems for each woman.

Not every fibroid needs treatment. If it is not causing you problems and the finding is stable, regular checkups are often enough.

When your period interferes with everyday life

Heavy or prolonged bleeding can mean planning your day around access to a bathroom, changing pads frequently or feeling exhausted. Long-term blood loss can lead to iron deficiency and anemia. That is another reason why it is worth talking about.

Fibroids can also cause pelvic pressure, more frequent urination, pain during intercourse or an enlarging abdomen. During the examination, we determine their size and location. It is often the position of a fibroid that determines what symptoms it causes and how it can be treated.

How we can help

Sometimes we focus on reducing bleeding and pain. Depending on the situation, medication, hormonal treatment or a hormonal IUD can be used, if it is suitable for the particular finding. If you are iron deficient, we will also help you replenish your iron.

If a procedure is needed, there are various options. A fibroid that extends into the uterine cavity can sometimes be removed hysteroscopically, without an abdominal incision. Other fibroids can be removed while preserving the uterus. For selected women, embolization, which reduces the blood supply to the fibroid, may also be an option. Removing the uterus can be an appropriate solution for severe symptoms, but it means permanently losing the ability to become pregnant.

Each approach has its benefits and limitations. We will discuss with you what it can offer you specifically, what risks it carries and what your recovery after treatment may look like.

Fibroids and planning a baby

Having a fibroid does not automatically mean problems conceiving. Many women with fibroids get pregnant and carry a baby to term. However, some fibroids can affect fertility or the course of pregnancy, especially if they change the shape of the uterine cavity.

If you are planning a baby, let us know at your consultation. This information is essential when deciding on treatment.

Also make an appointment if your bleeding or pain changes, you feel unusually tired or your abdomen is getting larger. Bleeding after menopause always needs to be examined. If you have very heavy bleeding with weakness or fainting, seek emergency care.