What should I do if I have uterine fibroids? What are the early symptoms of uterine fibroids?

Many women discover uterine fibroids during gynecological examinations, and there are no obvious symptoms of discomfort before the discovery of uterine fibroids. Symptoms of uterine fibroids generally include irregular vaginal bleeding, abdominal lumps, a certain degree of frequent urination, urgency, back pain, etc. Since many other diseases may also have similar symptoms, it is often difficult for the general public to recognize the early symptoms of uterine fibroids.

The cause of uterine fibroids is still unclear, but some experts believe it may be related to hormones and genetics. Gynecologists suggest that if it is a single fibroid with a diameter of less than 5 cm, conservative treatment can be considered, and as long as regular check-ups are done, it generally will not cause serious effects on the body. If it is multiple uterine fibroids or larger fibroids, surgical resection should be considered.

How much uterine fibroids should be removed?

When uterine fibroids grow to the size of a fist or larger, they may cause other gynecological inflammations or affect menstruation, resulting in heavy menstrual flow, prolonged menstruation, etc. Women with large fibroids that grow rapidly may experience uterine fibroid degeneration, infection, torsion, etc., leading to abdominal pain and malignant lesions. Once the fibroid pedicle torsions occur, emergency surgery is often required.

There are two surgical methods for uterine fibroids, one is laparoscopic surgery and the other is laparotomy. Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical treatment, which is generally believed to be less traumatic and less likely to leave scars. However, if there is no patient with uterine fibroids, most doctors recommend laparotomy. Although laparotomy will leave scars on the abdomen, the wound recovery will be better and the risk of uterine rupture after childbirth can be reduced.

Will uterine fibroids recur after removal?

Uterine fibroids can be solitary or multiple, that is, several, dozens or even hundreds of fibroids can grow on the uterus. At the same time, the size of fibroids can be as small as sesame seeds or as large as more than 10 cm in diameter. In addition, these tumors do not all grow on the surface of the uterus, but can protrude from the outer surface of the uterus, the myometrium, or the uterine cavity. They are deep and shallow. Therefore, they may not be seen during surgery. Invisible fibroids cannot be seen over time, and small fibroids grow again.

In addition, even if all fibroids are removed during surgery, new fibroids may grow in other parts of the body in the future, especially in patients with multiple fibroids. Therefore, after fibroid removal, there is still a possibility of fibroid recurrence, and regular outpatient follow-up should be performed.

Do uterine fibroids affect pregnancy?

It is reported that 25% to 35% of patients with uterine fibroids are infertile. This is related to the size and location of the fibroids. For example, fibroids located in the uterine horns can cause the fallopian tubes to twist and deform, affecting the passage of sperm or fertilized eggs and reducing the chance of pregnancy.

Uterine fibroids are located under the mucosa, because they occupy the normal uterine cavity, affecting the implantation of the fertilized egg. Large intramural fibroids can not only change the normal shape of the uterine cavity, but also compress the fallopian tubes. In addition to infertility, a series of complications may occur during pregnancy, such as early miscarriage, premature birth, postpartum hemorrhage or birth canal obstruction.

Therefore, in order to increase the chance of fertility, we should seek medical treatment in time. According to the size and location of the fibroids, gynecological minimally invasive surgery - laparoscopic or hysteroscopic surgery to remove the fibroids can increase the chance of pregnancy and reduce complications such as early miscarriage.

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