Fibroids and Pregnancy: Is My Baby at Risk?

A woman can have fibroids that cause her no problems or discomfort. Most women with fibroids have a successful pregnancy and delivery. Between 20% and 30% of women have fibroids but the great majority of these need no treatment, whether the woman is pregnant or not. This article will deal with the subject of fibroids and pregnancy to help you understand how fibroids can impact on conception and pregnancy.

What are fibroids?

Fibroids, or myomas, are non-cancerous tumors in the smooth muscle layer of the wall of the uterus. They can be miniscule in size or as big as a grapefruit and generally cause no noticeable symptoms. Many women are unaware they have fibroids until they are discovered during an ultrasound, often when they are pregnant.

Some women with fibroids will experience symptoms, however; these include a noticeable mass or lump in the lower abdomen, a feeling of pelvic pressure or heaviness in the pelvic area, heavy periods could be experienced or there could be problems with conceiving a baby.

Fibroids are more prevalent in African American women, the risk of having fibroids increases with age and having had one fibroid predisposes you to getting more.

Do fibroids need to be treated?

While most cases of fibroids never need any treatment, there are certain circumstances when treatment is needed. These include fibroids that are causing problems with heavy menstrual bleeding or with fertility, those that are growing too rapidly and those that are putting pressure on organs like the bladder.

How do fibroids interfere with pregnancy?

When conception occurs, increased quantities of the hormone, estrogen, are produced by the body. In women who have fibroids, these hormones can cause the fibroids to grow rapidly. This can cause increased swelling of the abdomen and severe pain. If the fibroids impact on the pregnancy like this, the mother-to-be will often be hospitalized to ensure bed rest and reduce the risk of further complications. This reduces the pressure on the growing fetus and the mother’s pelvic area.

These cases are rare, though; most pregnancies proceed without problem for women who have uterine fibroids. Because of the advanced monitoring technologies that are now available, the vast majority of pregnant women with fibroids give birth to healthy, full-term babies.

Even in cases where the fibroids are impacting on the pregnancy, they are not operated on during the pregnancy. After the baby is born, the fibroids usually shrink back to their original small size and cause no further problems, unless the women has another pregnancy. If another pregnancy is planned, a gynecologist might recommend removing the fibroids.

It is important to remain positive throughout your pregnancy, and so you need to trust your doctor to monitor any effects your fibroids might have on your pregnancy. Advanced monitoring methods can track the development and size of the fetus, as well as the position of the fibroids.

The chance of complications from the fibroids is very low, but your obstetrician will probably still prepare you for this unlikely possibility. Potential problems could include an increased possibility of miscarriage in the first trimester; an obstruction to the birth canal, which could mean needing a Cesarean; contractions starting earlier than expected and even early onset of labor. However, there are no known statistics for the probability of fibroid-related complications in pregnancy.

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