Understanding Fibroids
When you seek treatment at Wilcox Fertility, we strive to make your care as unique and individual as you are. If you’re experiencing symptoms that you’re concerned about, especially how it may affect your ability to have a family, we want you to fully understand every option you have available. This is particularly true when it comes to fibroids.
Similar to such conditions as PCOS, or endometriosis, fibroids can create an impact on a woman’s fertility. In fact, some research has shown that approximately 80 percent of women will develop fibroids by the age of 50.
Fibroids are an overgrowth of the muscular tissue of the uterus. The cause of fibroids is unknown but they are abnormal growths that develop in or on a woman’s uterus. They can grow to be somewhat large and cause severe abdominal pain as well as heavy periods. In other cases, however, they may cause no signs or symptoms whatsoever. The majority of fibroids are typically benign and noncancerous.
The symptoms of fibroids can be but are not limited to:
- Painful intercourse
- Severe menstrual cramps
- Being constipated
- Heavy periods or cycles lasting longer than a week
- Pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- Difficulty urinating or constant urination
- Back pain or leg pain
Depending on the location of the fibroids, the size, your health history and family building goals, you have various options in addressing them. Dr. Wilcox can discuss these with you to determine which works best for your specific situation but treatment can vary from making some lifestyle changes, the use of medication, or pursuing surgery like Myomectomy (a type of surgery used to remove uterine fibroids) or Laparoscopy (a minimally invasive procedure that requires only small incisions).
Overall, if you want to have a family, fibroids shouldn’t hinder that. Dr. Wilcox and our medical team will be there to walk you through all of your fertility treatment options.
For more information on the numerous fertility treatments and family building options offered at Wilcox Fertility, please continue to review other areas of our site or to inquire about financial information, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our online form or call us at 626.657.9327.
