Fibroids in the womb

It is not known what causes them to grow. They can be as small as a pea, or as large as a melon. They don’t turn into cancer, but you may find they sometimes result in:

• Heavy or painful, long periods
• A feeling of fullness or discomfort in your pelvis
• Having to pass urine often
• Pain during sex
• Back pain

How we can help you if you have fibroids

We start by making a diagnosis with an ultrasound scan of your pelvis or an MRI scan. MRI stands for medical resonance imaging, which shows detailed 2D or 3D pictures of your body to locate and measure any fibroids. These tests can be taken as an outpatient.

Procedures to treat fibroids

• Endometrial ablation - this is usually only carried out if the fibroids are near the surface of the womb. The womb's lining (that is shed each month) is removed. It can be performed under general or local anaesthetic.
• Myomectomy - this is usually performed under a general anaesthetic. The fibroids are removed from the womb either through an incision in the abdomen or via the vagina.
• Hysterectomy - this is surgery to remove the womb. This option is always very carefully considered and only used if the fibroids are very large and if other treatments have failed.
• Hysteroscopic surgery – A thin, flexible tube with a light at the end (a hysteroscope) is passed through your vagina into your womb. This allows your surgeon to look inside your womb and take tissue samples (biopsies) or remove small growths or fibroids.
• Uterine Artery Embolisation (UAE) is a minimally invasive procedure to treat uterine fibroids. In an embolisation procedure, the blood supply to the fibroid is blocked, which prevents oxygen and nutrients reaching the fibroid, causing it to shrink. If you have been diagnosed with Uterine fibroids, your healthcare provider will discuss with you whether an embolisation procedure is a suitable option.