- What are the signs and symptoms
- Possible causes
- How the treatment is done
- 1. Drug treatment
- 2. Surgical treatment
Uterine fibroids, also known as fibroids or leiomyomas, are benign tumors composed of muscle cells, which can affect women's lives because they can cause abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, pregnancy complications and other symptoms, although they can be asymptomatic in half of the cases. cases.
Fibroids can be classified according to their position in the uterine wall, the subserous being those tumors that develop on the outer surface of the uterus, called serosa. This type of fibroid does not usually present symptoms, except when it reaches large volumes, which can cause compression of the adjacent organs.
Treatment is only done if symptoms appear or if fibroids cause other complications and consists of administering medication or surgery to remove the fibroid or even the uterus.
What are the signs and symptoms
Subserosal fibroids do not usually show symptoms, except when they reach large volumes, which can cause compression of the adjacent organs and lead to more serious problems. The manifestation of symptoms can be gynecological, such as abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea or infertility and as a consequence of bleeding, iron deficiency anemia may occur.
In addition, there may also be urinary retention, urge to urinate frequently, swelling of the kidneys, intestinal dysfunction, venous stasis, hemorrhoids and although it is rare, there may also be fever associated with necrosis of the fibroids.
Although rare, the presence of uterine fibroids can impair fertility because they can cause:
- Deviation of the cervix, making sperm access difficult; Increase or deformity of the uterine cavity, which can interfere with migration or transport of sperm; Proximal obstruction of the tubes; Alteration of the tube-ovarian anatomy, interfering with the capture of eggs; Change in contractility uterine, which can prevent the displacement of sperm, the embryo, or even nesting; Abnormal uterine bleeding; Inflammation of the endometrium.
If symptoms do not appear, the removal of the fibroid is not indicated, as the surgical procedure can contribute to the development of other infertility factors.
Although there is a possibility of causing infertility, even in the presence of uterine fibroids, it is possible to become pregnant, but the presence of fibroids can harm pregnancy. Some uterine fibroids can increase the chances of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, fetal abnormalities, or even having to have a cesarean section.
Possible causes
The appearance of fibroids may be related to genetic and hormonal factors, since estrogen and progesterone promote their development and growth factors, produced by smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts.
In addition, there are several risk factors that can contribute to the development of uterine fibroids, such as age, early onset of the first menstruation, family history, being black, obesity, high blood pressure, eating a lot of red meat, alcohol or caffeine and never having children.
How the treatment is done
Asymptomatic fibroids have no therapeutic indication, however, in these cases, an ultrasound should be performed frequently. If symptoms or if justified, treatment may be necessary:
1. Drug treatment
This treatment aims to reduce or eliminate symptoms by reducing the size of the fibroid or bleeding, in addition to being useful before performing a surgical procedure, since it allows for a reduction in size which makes the surgery less invasive. Learn more about treatment.
2. Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment must be individualized, adapted to each case. A hysterectomy can be performed, which consists of the removal of the uterus, or a myomectomy, in which only the fibroid is removed. Learn more about how the surgery is performed.
