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A fibroid is a benign tumor that forms from a single smooth muscle cell that has lost its normal growth controls. No one knows exactly what causes this to occur. Once a fibroid is formed, hormones stimulate its continued growth. When a woman enters menopause and her hormones decrease, the fibroid naturally shrinks.
Who gets uterine fibroids?
Thirty to forty percent of all women will develop uterine fibroids at some point during their lifetime, although fibroids most commonly develop after a woman reaches age 35. Women of certain ethnic groups (such as African-American) have even higher rates of fibroid occurrence.
What problems do they cause?
Many fibroids do not create medical problems and no treatment is necessary. In other cases, however, these non-cancerous growths can cause excessive uterine bleeding, pelvic pain and cramping, backaches, sexual dysfunction, and urinary problems. The symptoms usually become more frequent and more severe with the growth of the fibroid.
The three most common treatments for fibroids:
Prescription Drug Therapy
These drugs are used to mimic menopause by artificially reducing hormone levels. While this treatment is successful in reducing symptoms, the effect is temporary, lasting only as long as the drugs are taken. Drug therapy may also cause side effects similar to menopause (hot flashes, bone loss, etc.).
Myomectomy (selective surgical removal of fibroids)
This treatment preserves the uterus, but the surgery can be more complex than a hysterectomy, with a risk of significant blood loss during surgery. General anesthesia is usually required and a multiple-day hospital stay following the procedure is often necessary. Fibroids also re-occur in up to 15% of patients.
Hysterectomy (removal of the entire uterus)
Hysterectomy has proven itself to be completely effective in the treatment of fibroids, which is why it is the most commonly used approach. However, a hysterectomy can have a major physical and psychological impact on some women, and the recovery time can take several weeks (8-12 on average).
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