Dr. Upasna Setia

Fibroids are non-cancerous growth that develop in the uterus in varying sizes. Fibroids do not usually show symptoms, but if they are large they may cause severe pain in the abdomen, heavy menstrual bleeding, bloating, infertility or complications during pregnancy. Several factors may lead to the formation of fibroids, including hormones, family history, and pregnancy.

What is myomectomy?

Myomectomy is the surgical procedure which is used for removing fibroids from the uterus. It is a safe method that allows women to become pregnant in future. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy, performed before myomectomy helps in lowering the estrogen level and also controls anemia by stopping uterine bleeding. The different surgical methods for myomectomy include:

• Hysteroscopy, involving the insertion of a lighted viewing instrument into the uterus
• Laparoscopy, involving the insertion of a lighted viewing instrument and one or more incisions in the abdomen
• Laparotomy, involving a larger incision made in the abdomen

Why is the surgery performed?

Myomectomy treats fibroids while preserving the uterus. It is a viable option for those who have:

• Anemia which cannot be controlled with medicines
• Pain which cannot be tackled with medicines
• A fibroid that can cause infertility or increases the risk of miscarriages

How well does it work?

• Pregnancy: myomectomy is the only treatment for treating fibroids that improve your chances of having a baby. The method is effective for treating submucosal fibroid. A cesarean section is required for delivery after performing a myomectomy.
• Recurrence: recurrence of fibroids after myomectomy is really low. It is possible in rare cases, depending on what the original fibroid problem was. Large and numerous fibroids have a greater risk of recurrence.

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How safe is it to have artificial sweeteners during pregnancy?

Ingredients that you generally come across in candies, soft drinks, desserts and so on are known as artificial sweeteners. Many women during their pregnancy include these ingredients (in the form of foods and drinks that have been artificially sweetened) in their diet so as to cut down the amount of sugar in their diet.

But before you go about including them in your diet during pregnancy, there are certain things that you need to be aware of. Artificial sweeteners are generally of two types - nutritive sweeteners and nonnutritive sweeteners, the former contains calories while the latter doesn't.

Which sweeteners are safe to have?

Nutritive sweeteners, when consumed in moderation, can be looked upon as safe to have when you're pregnant, as long as they don't add to your body weight. But if you suffer from carbohydrate intolerance like diabetes, insulin resistance or even gestational diabetes, you need to limit the consumption of nutritive sweeteners. This type of sweeteners includes the different forms of sugar sucrose, honey, corn sugar, maltose, fructose and dextrose.