Do Fibroids Cause Infertility And Affect Your Pregnancy?

From puberty to menopause, women experience different issues to their reproductive organs and sexual health, and fibroids are very common among them.

What Are Fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors made up of the uterine muscle and connective tissue from the wall of the uterus. They can appear in various sizes and different locations. According to their size, number, and location, they may bring mild to severe symptoms and complications including infertility or complicated pregnancy. Among different factors of problematic pregnancy, fibroids are one of them that run in families.

Fibroids and General Health of Women

• They can cause pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, repeated miscarriages, constipation, low energy, pain during sex, and frequent urination
• It needs to do a pelvic examination and ultrasonography to diagnose the condition
• Treatment is required, only if they cause problems
• Doctors usually prescribe medicines to control symptoms, but in some cases, surgery is required to prevent infertility and to reduce symptoms

Fibroids and Infertility

Doctors said about 5-10% of women face infertility having fibroids and, it is their size and location that creates problems. Uterine fibroids may affect fertility in some different ways:

• Fibroids can block fallopian tubes and makes it challenging or impossible to fertilize the egg. They can change the shape of the uterus and can affect the number of sperm, entered in the uterus
• The changing shape of the uterus may obstruct the movement of the sperm
• The thickness of the uterine lining can be changed by fibroids
• They can affect the blood flow in the uterine cavity that can decrease the ability of an embryo

Fibroids and Pregnancy

Fibroids tend to grow during pregnancy due to the inflow of extra hormones. While pregnancy is a happy time for expecting mothers, fibroid pain during pregnancy is tremendously painful. It is essential to understand the higher risks involved to you and your baby when you are with fibroids. Awareness of potential signs of complications can help you understand when you need medical help.

Symptoms of fibroids in pregnancy first trimester:

• Pain in the pelvic, lower back, abdomen, and hip
• Spotting during early pregnancy
• Early miscarriage

Symptoms in second and third trimesters:

• Pain, fever, and abdominal tenderness
• Vaginal discharge, abdominal cramp, pelvic pressure, and preterm labor
• Fetal growth restriction and other health challenges

During and after delivery complications:

• Babies are born through C – section in some cases
• Postpartum hemorrhage or more bleeding after delivery
• Fibroids may shrink after delivery in some cases

Fibroids Treatment during Pregnancy

Doctors recommend avoiding the fibroid treatment during pregnancy although to reduce symptoms, some natural remedies are:

• A warm water bottle to apply on painful areas
• Regular exercise to increase the body’s natural painkiller, endorphins
• Take warm baths
• Healthy diets with plenty of fiber and beta carotene-rich food
• Blood pressure control
• Practicing relaxation techniques like yoga, massage, meditation to reduce stress
• Take plenty of water
• Avoid alcohol and smoking

Getting Pregnant After Fibroids Removal

In some cases, both the doctor and patient prefer to remove fibroids before getting pregnant. Myomectomy is a kind of surgery used to eliminate uterine fibroids. Your doctor can recommend this option if your fibroids are causing more severe symptoms like irregular bleeding, heavy periods, severe pelvic pain, etc. This treatment process is applied to women who want to keep their uterus to get pregnant in the future. If you are a woman with fibroids and you are trying to conceive, you need to manage the complications of large fibroids and pregnancy. Your gynaecologist can help you evaluate the treatment options that are best for you.