{"id":18006,"date":"2018-12-17T15:59:07","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T20:59:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=18006"},"modified":"2023-03-22T13:53:03","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T18:53:03","slug":"what-to-know-about-uterine-fibroids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/what-to-know-about-uterine-fibroids\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know About Uterine Fibroids"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a person with a uterus in your 30s or older, the word \u201cfibroid\u201d may have come up during a doctor\u2019s appointment. Fibroids are benign <\/span>(<\/span><\/i>i.e., non-cancerous) muscular tumors that grow in and around the uterus. Most people with uteruses will have at least one during their lives, even if they never know it. We spoke with Dr. <\/span>Erika Banks<\/span><\/a>, an ob-gyn and director of the <\/span>Fibroid Center at the Montefiore Medical Center<\/span><\/a> in New York City, to learn what patients need to know about this condition. <\/span><\/p>\n

How common are fibroids?<\/h3>\n

They\u2019re exceedingly common. According to <\/span>current data<\/span><\/a> from the National Institutes of Health, about 70 percent of white women and 80 percent of African-American women have fibroids by age 50. While middle-aged and older women are more likely to develop fibroids, younger women can get them too. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fibroids are more prevalent among African-American women, although experts don\u2019t know why. \u201cWe suspect that there is <\/span>a genetic component<\/span><\/a> because we have observed that fibroids run in families,\u201d says Banks. She also noted that, compared to white women, African-American women tend to experience larger fibroid tumors at younger ages.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the symptoms?<\/h3>\n

While fibroids are common, many women will never experience symptoms. However, for women with symptomatic fibroids, the clinical burden can be heavy. A <\/span>2017 study<\/span><\/a> published in the <\/span>International Journal of Women\u2019s Health<\/span><\/i> found that women with uterine fibroids are more likely than others to experience heavy menstrual bleeding, constipation, bloating and diarrhea, bleeding between menstrual cycles and severe pelvic pressure. Other symptoms of fibroids include frequent urination (larger fibroids can press on the bladder), lower back pain and painful intercourse. Fibroids vary in several ways that are related to whether they\u2019re symptomatic and which symptoms they cause. Their size ranges from that of a pea to a large melon. They can appear individually or in clusters. And they can grow in a few different locations, including inside the uterine cavity, the uterine muscle or the uterine wall, as well as right outside the uterus. <\/span><\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>2013 national survey<\/span><\/a> of women with fibroids, about 25 percent of patients \u201c<\/span>have symptoms that impact activities of daily living or are severe enough to require treatment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, Banks says it\u2019s worth asking your primary care physician or ob-gyn if fibroids might be the cause. In 2016, <\/span>researchers at the University of Chicago<\/span><\/a> found that more than one-third of women with symptomatic fibroids delayed treatment because they believed their symptoms (heavy menstrual bleeding or painful intercourse) were normal.<\/span><\/p>\n

How are fibroids diagnosed?<\/h3>\n

Fibroids can be diagnosed in several different ways by a primary care physician or an ob-gyn. If fibroids are suspected, your doctor will conduct a pelvic exam to feel for changes in the shape of the uterus. They may also conduct an ultrasound or MRI to confirm the presence of fibroids. <\/span><\/p>\n

Do fibroids affect patients in any other way?<\/h3>\n

In addition to their physical toll, fibroids can also have a significant psychological effect on patients. Research has shown that women living with fibroids experience fear, anxiety, anger and depression; in <\/span>one study<\/span><\/a>, 50 percent of women living with fibroids said they felt \u201chelpless\u201d and that they had no control over their fibroids. <\/span><\/p>\n

Do fibroids need to be monitored or treated?<\/h3>\n

Fibroids only need to be treated if they\u2019re causing symptoms, Banks says: \u201cWe only discuss treatment options with a patient when the fibroid(s) is impacting her menstrual cycle or if she is experiencing some other issue, such as frequent urination or pelvic pain.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the treatment options?<\/h3>\n

As a general matter, the course of treatment will depend on whether patients are experiencing problems caused by fibroids, as well as if they want to preserve their ability to have children. For those who need treatment, there are a few different options: <\/span><\/p>\n