Who is at risk for uterine fibroids?

This is an automatically translated article.

This article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Truong Nghia Binh - Obstetrician - Gynecology Department - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
Uterine fibroids are usually benign, but they also cause many complications that affect the health and quality of life of patients. Screening for uterine fibroids is essential for timely detection of the disease, especially for women in the groups at risk for uterine fibroids below.

1. What are uterine fibroids?

Fibroids are benign growths from the muscle tissue of the uterus, and the size and location and shape of fibroids can vary from person to person. Fibroids can grow slowly over many years or they can grow rapidly over a short period of time, often related to the action of the hormone estrogen
Fibroids can grow inside the uterus, on the surface inside or outside the uterine wall, with or without a stalk.

2. Who is at risk for uterine fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are most common in women between the ages of 30 and 40, but they can occur at any age. Those who have few children or are infertile, and postmenopausal women also have an increased risk of uterine fibroids.
Uterine fibroids run in families, but it's not clear.

3. Complications of uterine fibroids

Most uterine fibroids are benign diseases, but can cause some dangerous complications such as:
Bleeding complications: Causes chronic anemia, hypochromic. Uterine fibroids torsion: Causes severe pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid pulse, rapid collapse of the whole body. The large tumor presses on the surrounding organs, causing: Constipation, lower extremity edema, urinary disorders, may cause fluid retention in the kidneys. Infectious complications: Bacterial infections can occur in the tumor, the lining of the uterus, or the fallopian tubes. With symptoms such as abdominal pain, fever, fatigue, abnormal discharge or blood. May cause infertility due to large tumor affecting the implantation and development of the fetus Causes miscarriage, premature birth Cancer but rare.

4. Treatment methods

Usually, if fibroids are not causing any symptoms or complications, no intervention is needed.
When to treat uterine fibroids?
Frequent changes in menstrual cycle, heavy menstrual flow or pain cause chronic anemia complications. Abnormal bleeding between cycles Accelerates tumor growth. Uterine fibroids have complications Treatment methods:
Medical treatment: With drug treatment can reduce heavy bleeding and pain caused by fibroids. Drugs of choice for fibroids include birth control pills and other hormonal methods of birth control
GnRH-releasing hormone agonists these drugs can stop your menstrual cycle and reduce your size In addition, these drugs are also used before surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding
Surgical treatment:
Surgery to remove fibroids: Depending on the specific case, choose the surgical method Different types of fibroid dissection include laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic fibroid removal, or open fibroid removal. Embolization for the treatment of fibroids: Embolization reduces blood flow to the tumor, reduces bleeding, and reduces the size of the tumor. However, if the tumor is too large, it can cause complications of necrosis, infection... Partial hysterectomy or total hysterectomy: In cases where the patient is no longer able to bear children, to prevent cancer or tumors Fibroids with cancer Robotic surgery: As a new method with many outstanding advantages, it has now been applied at Vinmec international hospital. With many advantages such as: Unrestricted vision, quality images, the ability to operate in hidden locations, safely minimize the risk of complications, fast recovery, small incision
Fibroid disease Cancer can occur at any age in women of childbearing age, but the risk increases with age. Although it is a relatively benign disease, it can bring problems to the patient. When there are signs of the disease, it is necessary to be examined, consulted and treated on a case-by-case basis to avoid complications caused by the disease.

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References: Acog.org