- Masses of muscular tissues that can develop within the wall of the uterus - Non-cancerous tumors - Can be small

or quite large - Genetics and hormones may play a role - Grow slowly during the reproductive years, may enlarge during pregnancy - Women with fibroids will have difficult conceiving or will have miscarriages - Risk Factors: Age, Family history, Obesity, High blood pressure - Growth rate depends on hormonal levels

Fibroids

1) Intramural Fibroids -Most common -Lies within the muscle wall of the uterus -Expand and causes the uterus to be larger -Symptoms: heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, back pain, frequent urination and pressure in the pelvic region.

2) Submucosal Fibroids - Grow from the uterine wall into the uterine cavity - Symptoms: Pain, Abnormal bleeding and Infertility. 3) Subserosal Fibroids - Grow from the uterine wall into the outside of the uterus - Push on the bladder, bowel and intestine - Symptoms: Bloating, Abdominal pressure, Cramping and Pain

4) Pedunculated Fibroids - Grow on stalks out from the uterus or into the uterine cavity - Twisting of stalks will result in pain, nausea, fever and

Managing uterine fibroids

- If you suspect you have fibroids or if you are experiencing symptoms, you should consult a doctor. - If you have a family history of fibroids or have been treated for them in the past, you may want to be examined more frequently or investigate the various management strategies available to treat fibroids. - Fibroids should be monitored and check regularly once every 6 months.

What circumstances do fibroids require treatment?

- Firbroids growing rapidly - Fibroids causing abnormal bleeding - Fibroids causing problems with infertility - Fibroids growing large to cause pressure on other organs

1) Oral Treatment Options - Oral Contraceptives: Manage heavy bleeding caused by fibroids - IUD: Ease heaving bleeding that accompanies some fibroids - GnRH agonists: Shrink fibroids by blocking oestrogen and progesterone production - Antifibrolytic medicines: Slow menstrual bleeding by allow blood to clot 2) Minimally Invasive Treatment Options -Uterine Artery Embolization: Radiological procedure that involves placing a small catheter (a thin tube) into an artery in the leg and guiding it via X-rays to the arteries in the

3) Surgical Options -Hysterectomy: Removal of the entire uterus o Abdominal hysterectomy o Vaginal hysterectomy oLaparoscopically hysterectomy -Myomectomy: Removal of the fibroids, leaving an intact uterus. More complications than hysterectomy -Myolysis : Involves using an electric current or laser to shrink the fibroids and shrinks the blood vessels that feed them.