Fibroids

In the United States, African American women have the highest rates of fibroids. They're two to three times more likely to have uterine fibroids than Caucasian women. Fibroids also occur more often, develop sooner, grow larger, and are more likely to cause severe pain in black women than in women of other racial groups.


Fibroids are believed to be estrogen-responsive, and since obese patients make a lot of exogenous estrogen, they tend to have more fibroids,” Gottlieb says. And as Black women in the United States are disproportionately affected by obesity, this could be one reason why they are more at risk for developing uterine fibroids.


A fibroid is a lump or growth in the uterus that is not cancerous. Fibroids can be as small as a pea to as large as a basketball. They are usually round and pinkish in color, and they can grow anywhere inside or on the uterus.


Symptoms

Some women never realize that they have fibroids because they have no symptoms. In other women, uterine fibroids are discovered either during a routine gynecologic exam or during prenatal care.

When symptoms of fibroids occur, they can include:

  • Pelvic pain or pressure

  • Heavy menstrual bleeding

  • Bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods

  • Unusually frequent urination

  • Abdominal swelling

  • Low back pain during intercourse or during menstrual periods

  • Fatigue or low energy from heavy periods and excessive bleeding

  • Infertility, if the fibroids are blocking the fallopian tubes

  • Constipation

  • Repeated miscarriages

Diagnosis

Usually, a woman doesn't realize that she has a fibroid until her gynecologist feels it during a pelvic exam. If your gynecologist thinks you have a fibroid, several tests can confirm the diagnosis:

  • Pelvic ultrasound — In this radiology test, a wand-like instrument will be moved over your lower abdomen or may be inserted in your vagina to view the uterus and other pelvic organs more closely. The instrument produces sound waves that create an image of your pelvic organs.

  • Hysterosalpingogram — In this X-ray procedure, a dye is injected into your uterus and fallopian tubes to outline any irregularities.

  • Hysteroscopy — During this procedure, a narrow instrument that looks like a telescope is inserted through your vagina into your uterus. This lets the doctor look for abnormal growths inside your uterus.

  • Laparoscopy — In this procedure, a thin tube-like instrument called a laparoscope is inserted through a small incision in your belly so the doctor can look inside the abdomen.

Expected Duration

The number of fibroids, their size and how fast they grow varies among women. Female hormones encourage fibroids to grow, so they continue growing until menopause. Some fibroids shrink after menopause. However, larger fibroids may change little or become only slightly smaller in size. If a woman has had fibroids removed surgically, new fibroids can appear any time before she enters menopause.

Prevention

There are no proven measures you can take to prevent fibroids from developing. Studies show that athletic women seem to be less likely to develop fibroids than women who are obese or who don't exercise.

Treatment

If fibroids are small and are not causing any symptoms, they do not need to be treated. Your gynecologist may do a pelvic examination every six months to a year to make sure that your fibroids are not growing rapidly. In some cases, medications can be prescribed to control any abnormal bleeding and temporarily shrink the fibroids.

Medications used to shrink fibroids create a temporary menopause by stopping the ovaries from making the female hormone estrogen. While estrogen levels drop and menstrual periods stop, menopausal hot flashes appear and fibroids stop growing and slowly shrink. This helps to stop blood loss from heavy, prolonged periods. However, when the medication is stopped periods return, hot flashes disappear and fibroids that have not been removed will start growing again. These medications usually are given by needle injection in a large muscle.

Fibroids may need to be removed if they cause significant symptoms or are large enough to interfere with fertility. Growths in your uterus also may need to be removed if it is difficult for your doctor to tell whether they are fibroids or cancer.




Source: Health & Safety | BabyCenter