The Office on Women's Health reported that uterine fibroids affect a large population of women since it could be developed by 80 percent of the women population as they reach the age of 50. As some women don't know the details about the disease, experts share everything they know to raise awareness.
According to Shape, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defined uterine fibroids to appear in the muscle tissue of the uterus, which causes immense pain for women. However, it was identified recently that the tissue fibroids already appears in the uterine cavity, within the uterine wall, on the outside edge of the uterine wall and possibly outside the uterus.
With that said, some of the uterine fibroids were described to be non-cancerous. The fast growing case of the uterine fibroid is then described as leiomyosarcoma, which is cancerous. Yet, there are side effects of the disease depending on its size and location were identified to be two. The first is that it may interfere with a woman’s ability to become pregnant and the second is that it may cause extreme menstrual bleeding.
An ob-gyn at Los Angeles Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Cystex spokesperson, Dr. Yvonne Bohn, M.D., stated that estrogen causes uterine fibroids to grow. However, the main cause of the disease isn’t yet known. The Office on Women's Health then mentioned that having a family member with the disease could increase the risk of a person acquiring the fibroids.
Furthermore, Reader’s Digest reported that some of the uterine fibroid symptoms include bleeding between periods, excessive menstrual bleeding, increased the frequency of urination, anemia, severe cramping and constipation or bloating. Pelvic pain, painful menses, or pain during sex were also mentioned as well wherein the fibroids and pelvic pain could be felt outside the abdominal wall.
Speaking of uterine fibroid treatment, removing the uterus known as hysterectomy was advised by doctors back then. But Bohn stated that the success of pregnancy is still possible amid having uterine fibroids depending on the location and size of the fibroids. Aside from hysterectomy, removing the fibroid tumors by opening the uterus called myomectomy was also identified by Bohn to be an option.
Hysteroscopic myomectomy, which involves removing the uterine fibroids through the vagina was also said to be another option. Eating fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly and minimizing stress was then advised to lower risk of getting the disease, as a study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology stated.
