Definition

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years. Also called leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs) or myomas, uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.

Uterine fibroids develop from the smooth muscular tissue of the uterus (myometrium). A single cell divides repeatedly, eventually creating a firm, rubbery mass distinct from nearby tissue. Fibroid location, size and number influence signs and symptoms:

TYPES

 	Submucosal fibroids: Fibroids that grow into the inner cavity of the uterus (submucosal fibroids) are more likely to cause prolonged, heavy menstrual bleeding and are sometimes a problem for women attempting pregnancy.
 	Subserosal fibroids: Fibroids that project to the outside of the uterus (subserosal fibroids) can sometimes press on your bladder, causing you to experience urinary symptoms. If fibroids bulge from the back of your uterus, they occasionally can press either on your rectum, causing a pressure sensation, or on your spinal nerves, causing backache.
 	Intramural fibroids: Some fibroids grow within the muscular uterine wall (intramural fibroids). If large enough, they can distort the shape of the uterus and cause prolonged, heavy periods, as well as pain and pressure.

Symptoms

In women who have symptoms, the most common symptoms of uterine fibroids include:

 	Heavy menstrual bleeding
 	Prolonged menstrual periods - seven days or more of menstrual bleeding
 	Pelvic pressure or pain
 	Frequent urination
 	Difficulty emptying your bladder
 	Constipation
 	Backache or leg pains

 	Abnormal menstrual bleeding, such as:
o	Heavier, prolonged periods that can cause anemia
o	Painful periods.
o	Spotting before or after periods.
o	Bleeding between periods.

 	Pelvic pain and pressure, such as:
o	Pain in the,abdomen pelvis, or low back.
o	Pain during sexual intercourse.
o	bloating and feelings of abdominal pressure.

 	Urinary problems, such as:
o Frequent urination
o	Leakage of urine (urinary incontinence).
o	kidney blockage following ureter blockage (rare).

 	Other symptoms, such as:
o	Difficulty or pain with bowel movements.
o	infertility. Sometimes, fibroids make it difficult to become pregnant.
o	Problems with pregnancy, such as placental abruption and premature labor.
o	miscarriage.

Tests and diagnosis

Ultrasound
Magnetic resonance imaging
Hysterosonography
Hysterosalpingography
Hysteroscopy

Uterine Fibroids - All You Should Know!

Many women develop uterine fibroids by the time they hit the age of 50 years and above. These are non-cancerous growths that may occur in the uterus. Most women go through severe bleeding and pain as well as discomfort as a result of these fibroids. Age, family history of the same condition, obesity or being overweight, eating habits and even ethnicity play a large role in deciding the risk of each individual patient. These fibroids can grow in the submucosal, intramural and subserosal areas.

Following are the common side effects of uterine fibroids:

    Frequent urination: Due to the pressure of the fibroids on the uterus, the patient may experience a constant feeling of fullness in the lower pelvic area of the body, which may lead to frequent filling of the bladder. This gives rise to frequent trips to the washroom for urination. 
    Heavy Bleeding: Severe bleeding is one of the most common causes of the presence of these kinds of fibroids. The patient may experience a lot of bleeding during menstrual periods, as well as pain and cramps the rest of the time. The periods will also be very painful when there are fibroids in the uterus or the uterine lining.
    Painful Intercourse: It is a well-known fact that any kind of infection or growth as well as sores and other such ailments can lead to vaginal dryness as well as pain during sexual intercourse. This is true for uterine fibroids as well, which can lead to severe pain during sexual activity. These fibroids can also give rise to pain in the lumbar or lower back region.
    Abdomen Swelling: The abdomen may go through significant swelling in such a condition and the patient may even look like she is pregnant. The growth can push the shape of the abdomen outwards and create a full feeling.
    Pregnancy Complications: The presence of uterine fibroids can give rise to several complications during pregnancy and even after child birth. One of the most common problems in this case is bleeding, followed by more severe outcomes like miscarriage. The women suffering from uterine fibroids are at greater risk of undergoing a caesarean section for the delivery of the baby. The baby may also be born breech and a premature delivery may take place. 
    Infertility: This is also a rare side effect of the uterine fibroids and is generally seen only in very severe cases. 
    Cancer: Only one in every 1000 cases might transform into malignant tumours. These uterine fibroids are generally known to be non-malignant. 

Any symptoms must be reported to a gynaecologist at the earliest to avoid any serious complications.

Common Side Effects of Uterine Fibroids

Fibroid tumour is the abnormal cell growth in the uterus and they are mostly benign. Fibroids usually affect women in the age bracket of 30 - 40. Fibroid tumours are of three types, depending on their location:

Submucosal fibroids: The tumour develops under the lining of the uterus
Intramural fibroids: The growth is found amongst the muscles in the wall of the uterus
Subserosal fibroids: The growth develops on the wall of the uterus right in the pelvic cavity
Causes behind it
The exact cause of fibroids in not known clearly. But certain factors have been discovered that might influence their formation. These factors include:

Hormones: Progesterone and estrogen are the hormones responsible for recreating the uterine lining during every menstrual cycle. These hormones might trigger the formation of tumour.
Family history: If any member in your family; your mother, grandmother or sister has/had fibroids in their uterus, you may also develop it.
Pregnancy: Your body produces excessive progesterone and estrogen when you are pregnant, which may cause an increase in the size of a pre-existing small fibroid. Myomectomy can be done by giving incision on the abdomen or by laparoscopy depending on the size and location of the fibroids.
Signs You are suffering from it

Heavy bleeding along with blood clots during or between your periods
Lower back or pelvic pain
Elevated menstrual cramping
Frequent urination
Pain during sex
Longer than normal periods
Bloating or pressure in lower abdomen
Enlargement or swelling of the abdomen
How it can be treated?
Your doctor will formulate the right treatment depending on your age, the mass of the fibroids and your overall health. Your doctor may choose a combination of treatment to cure your fibroids, and they include:

Medication: Gonadotropin releasing hormones (GnRH) agonists, birth control pills and ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory medicine) are prescribed. GnRH agonists reduce the level of progesterone and estrogen in your uterus.
Surgery: Myomectomy and hysterectomy are two common surgical procedures to treat fibroids. Myomectomy is performed by removing the fibroids only by making an incision on the abdomen. But hysterectomy completely removes the uterus. The latter is reserved for serious cases.
Non-invasive surgery: Forced ultrasound surgery, myolysis (shrinking fibroids with laser or electric current), cryomyolysis (fibroids are frozen) and endometrial ablation (an instrument uses heat, hot water, microwaves or electric current to destroy fibroids) are some non-invasive surgical procedures.

Fibroid Tumours - 8 Signs You are Suffering From it

The uterus or womb, is a muscular structure and is held in place by ligaments and pelvic muscles. If these muscles or tendons become weak, they cause prolapse and are no longer able to hold the uterus in its place.

Uterine prolapse happens when the uterus falls or slips from its ordinary position and into the vagina or birth waterway. It could be complete prolapse or even incomplete at times. A fragmented prolapse happens when the uterus is just hanging into the vagina. A complete prolapse depicts a circumstance in which the uterus falls so far down that some tissue rests outside of the vagina. Likewise, as a lady ages and with a loss of the hormone estrogen, her uterus can drop into the vaginal canal. This condition is known as a prolapsed uterus.

Risks: The risks of this condition are many and have been enumerated as follows:

    Complicated delivery during pregnancy
    Weak pelvic muscle
    Loss of tissue after menopause and loss of common estrogen
    Expanded weight in the stomach area, for example, endless cough, constipation, pelvic tumors or accumulation of liquid in the guts
    Being overweight
    Obesity causing extra strain on the muscles
    Real surgery in the pelvic zone
    Smoking

Symptoms: Some of the most common symptoms of prolapse involve:

    Feeling of sitting on a ball
    Abnormal vaginal bleeding
    Increase in discharge
    Problems while performing sexual intercourse
    Seeing the uterus coming out of the vagina
    A pulling or full feeling in the pelvis
    Constipation
    Bladder infections

Nonsurgical medications include:

    Losing weight and getting in shape to take stress off of pelvic structures
    Maintaining a distance from truly difficult work
    Doing Kegel workouts, which are pelvic floor practices that strengthen the vaginal muscles. This can be done at any time, even while sitting down at a desk.
    Taking estrogen treatment especially during menopause
    Wearing a pessary, which is a gadget embedded into the vagina that fits under the cervix and pushes up to settle the uterus and cervix
    Indulging in normal physical activity

Some specialists use the following methods to diagnose the problem:

    The specialist will examine you in standing position keeping in mind you are resting and request that you to cough or strain to build the weight in your abdomen.
    Particular conditions, for example, ureteral block because of complete prolapse, may require an intravenous pyelogram (IVP) or renal sonography. Color is infused into your vein, and an X-ray is used to view the flow of color through your urinary bladder.
    An ultrasound might be utilised to rule out any other existing pelvic issues. In this test, a wand is used on your stomach area or embedded into your vagina to create images of the internal organ with sound waves.

Uterine Prolapse: Risks, Symptoms and Diagnosis

Uterine polyps are growths attached to the inner wall of the uterus that extend into the uterine cavity. Overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) leads to the formation of uterine polyps, also known as endometrial polyps. These polyps are usually noncancerous (benign), although some can be cancerous or can eventually turn into cancer (precancerous polyps).

Uterine polyps range in size from a few millimeters - no larger than a sesame seed - to several centimeters - golf-ball-size or larger. They attach to the uterine wall by a large base or a thin stalk.

You can have one or many uterine polyps. They usually stay contained within your uterus, but occasionally, they slip down through the opening of the uterus (cervix) into your vagina. Uterine polyps most commonly occur in women who are going through or have completed menopause, although younger women can get them, too.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of uterine polyps include:

Irregular menstrual bleeding - for example, having frequent, unpredictable periods of variable length and heaviness
Bleeding between menstrual periods
Excessively heavy menstrual periods
Vaginal bleeding after menopause
Infertility
Some women have only light bleeding or spotting; others are symptom-free.
When to see a doctor
Seek medical care if you have:

Vaginal bleeding after menopause
Bleeding between menstrual periods
Irregular menstrual bleeding
Causes

Hormonal factors appear to play a role. Uterine polyps are estrogen-sensitive, meaning they grow in response to circulating estrogen.

Risk factors

Risk factors for developing uterine polyps include:
Being perimenopausal or postmenopausal
Having high blood pressure (hypertension)
Being obese
Taking tamoxifen, a drug therapy for breast cancer
Complications

Uterine polyps might be associated with infertility. If you have uterine polyps and you're unable to have children, removal of the polyps might allow you to become pregnant, but the data are inconclusive.

Uterine Polyps - Symptoms, Causes & Complications Related To It! 

Uterine cancer of cancer of the uterus is a fairly common type of cancer. In fact, this is the fourth most common type of cancer to affect women. This type of cancer is usually diagnosed in its early stages and hence can be easily treated. However, did you know that this type of cancer can be prevented? This is primarily because most cases of uterine cancer are caused by an increased amount of estrogen as compared to progestin. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Birth control pills: The regular use of birth control pills for at least a year is believed to reduce the risk of uterine cancer by at least 50%. The longer these contraceptives are used for, the more effective they are. The protection provided by them lasts for 15 years after their use has been discontinued.
Reduce weight: Being overweight not only increases the risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure but can also increase a woman s risk of suffering from uterine cancer. This is because fat cells produce estrogen that further dis-balances the estrogen to progestin ratio. Reducing weight can thus help lower the estrogen levels in the body and prevent cancer. To lose weight, one must keep a strict control over portion sizes, eat nutritious food and exercise regularly.
Use an IUD: Some methods of contraception not only prevent unwanted pregnancy but also reduce the risk of uterine cancer. Many IUDs or Intrauterine Devices contain progestin. This helps balance the estrogen and progestin levels in the body. Additionally, it also reduces the risk of hyperplasia. This is a condition marked by the abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus. In many cases, this condition is a precursor to uterine cancer.
Question Your Family: Genetics can also influence the risk of developing uterine cancer. For example, people carrying the gene responsible for Lynch Syndrome or hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer have a much higher risk of uterine cancer as compared to others. Thus, if you know of family members who have suffered or are suffering from uterine or colon cancer, it is a good idea to undergo genetic testing.
Broccoli - A super food: Some foods can also help strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of uterine cancer. Broccoli is one such vegetable. This is known as a super food that can prevent cancer. The best way to eat broccoli is by steaming it. This has the higher amounts of glucosinolate as compared to fried or boiled broccoli.

Uterine Cancer - 5 Tips To Help You Keep It At Bay!

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