Fibroids

What are fibroids?

Fibroids are “tumours” of uterine muscle growing within the walls of the uterus. They are almost always benign (not cancerous), but they can grow quite large and can cause heavy bleeding and other symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

Since fibroids can grow significantly, they can cause both heavy bleeding and pressure in the pelvis. They can grow to a size that resembles being four to six months pregnant.

Are fibroids cancerous?

Very rarely. About one in every 2,000 cases is cancerous.

What can I do to prevent getting fibroids?

Unfortunately, there is no specific preventive measure. Fibroids are prevalent, occurring in about 40% of women. The reassuring news is that they are usually small and do not typically cause any problems. Additionally, fibroids tend to have a genetic predisposition. Should treatment be necessary, a variety of minimally invasive procedures are available.

How do you treat fibroids?

The treatment approach depends on the type, size, and severity of symptoms.

There are numerous treatment options, many of which are non-surgical or involve minimally invasive procedures. In certain cases, a hysterectomy is recommended.

The key thing to remember is that if you’re not experiencing any symptoms, treatment might not be necessary.