Fibroids are noncancerous growths in your uterus that can cause heavy, irregular periods and painful cramps. Sometimes, uterine fibroids can also lead to pregnancy loss. 

Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can help ease these symptoms and may help reduce your pregnancy risks.

Fibroids are common among women in their reproductive years. They vary in size, from as small as an apple seed to as large as a grapefruit or even larger. 

What causes uterine fibroids is not fully known. Research, however, suggests that genetics, hormones, obesity and other factors may play a role. Black women are also more likely than other women to develop fibroids. 

At MU Health Care, our OB/GYNs specialize in diagnosing and treating fibroids with nonsurgical and surgical options.

Uterine Fibroid Symptoms

If you have fibroids, you may have symptoms such as: 

  • Heavy, irregular periods
  • Cramps and pelvic pain between periods (not just around your period)
  • Low back pain
  • Frequent need to urinate or trouble urinating
  • Constipation
  • Painful intercourse
  • Bloating or swelling in your abdomen
  • Infertility or pregnancy loss

You may have more than one fibroid at a time, but they may not always cause symptoms. Your OB/GYN may only discover you have fibroids during a routine pelvic exam.

When to Seek Care for Fibroids

If you think you may have fibroids, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step to finding some relief. Our experienced OB/GYNs can help you understand the cause of your symptoms.

Types of Uterine Fibroids

Types of fibroids include: 

  • Intramural fibroids, which grow inside the muscle wall of your uterus
  • Subserosal fibroids, which grow outside of your uterus
  • Submucosal fibroids, which grow within the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium)

Some fibroids inside or outside the uterus are also called pedunculated fibroids because of how they attach to the uterus.

How We Diagnose Fibroids at MU Health Care

To check your uterus for fibroids, our team may recommend the following:

  • Pelvic exam: Your doctor will feel your uterus for growths.
  • Ultrasound: This noninvasive test uses sound waves to create images of your uterus.
  • Hysteroscopy: During this procedure, we will place a small, flexible camera inside your uterus to check for fibroids. 

Based on these tests, we can suggest treatment options that can help you find some relief from your symptoms.

How We Treat Fibroids at MU Health Care

At MU Health Care, we offer the most advanced nonsurgical and surgical treatments to treat uterine fibroids. Our team will work with you to determine the best approach based on your: 

  • Symptoms
  • Location, type and number of fibroids
  • Personal preferences, including any plans to become pregnant

Medication and Lifestyle Changes

Not all fibroids need to be removed with surgery. In some cases, nonsurgical options can provide symptom relief. These include:

  • Lifestyle changes, like heating pads to ease painful cramps
  • Medicines that block hormones that cause fibroids to grow
  • Birth control pills that control menstrual bleeding
  • Pain medications to ease cramps

Uterus-Sparing Procedures for Fibroids

We offer advanced procedures that can shrink or remove fibroids without the need for surgery to remove the uterus (hysterectomy). These include:

  • Ablation: A procedure that uses heat to reduce blood supply to fibroids.
  • Uterine artery embolization: Another procedure that shrinks fibroids by cutting off their blood supply.
  • Uterine fibroid embolization: A procedure in which a catheter (tube) is placed in the groin or wrist and threaded to blood vessels near the uterus. Small particles are injected into the vessels to reduce blood flow to the fibroids and make them shrink.
  • Laparoscopic fibroid ablation: A procedure to treat fibroids that uses a laparoscope, a tool to see organs in the abdomen.
  • Myomectomy: Surgery to remove fibroids without removing the uterus. 

At MU Health Care, many of these treatments are performed as outpatient procedures, so you can go home the same day.

Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy may be an option if your fibroids are severe and you don’t want to get pregnant in the future. 

We can often use less invasive techniques, so you have less bleeding and pain, and recover more quickly after surgery. These include laparoscopic and robotic techniques and surgery performed through the vagina.

Help with Infertility and Pregnancy Loss

Fibroids are a common cause of recurrent pregnancy loss. Our Reproductive Health and Fertility Center offers a full range of services to help you grow your family. This includes:

Our maternal fetal medicine team can also provide support to reduce your risk of complications during pregnancy.

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