Learn how you can find relief from uterine fibroids and conceive a baby

You might not realize it, but uterine fibroids, also known as leiomyomas and myomas, are relatively common in women of childbearing age. You may have even had fibroids at one point in your life without realizing it, as these benign uterine growths don’t always cause symptoms. However, for some women, fibroids can cause uncomfortable symptoms or make it more difficult to conceive and carry a baby. Thankfully, The Fertility Center of Las Vegas can help. Our Las Vegas fertility doctors are here to explain what you need to know about fibroids.

What should you know about these benign uterine growths?

First of all, you can breathe a sigh of relief because uterine fibroids are not cancerous. Additionally, these growths aren’t associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer. That being said, the growths can cause other problems. Here is a list of some of the most common symptoms of fibroids.

• Heavy periods that last more than a week
• Pelvic pressure or pain
• Frequent urination or difficulty emptying the bladder
• Constipation
• Backaches or leg pains

Some women may also experience infertility or pregnancy loss due to uterine fibroids. This is most common among women who have growths that bulge into the uterus. In this situation, our Las Vegas fertility doctors can provide treatments to help overcome this issue.

The location, size and number of a woman’s fibroids tends to influence the type of symptoms she experiences as well as the severity. When it comes to size, fibroids can be so small that they’re undetectable by the human eye. They can also be so large that they distort and enlarge the uterus. As for the location of the fibroids, intramural fibroids grow in the uterine wall, submucosal fibroids bulge into the uterine cavity and subserosal fibroids are outside of the uterus.

How does our team diagnose and treat uterine fibroids?

Often, a doctor discovers that a woman has fibroids during a routine pelvic exam. This happens when the doctor feels irregularities in the shape of the uterus. If this occurs, or if you have symptoms of fibroids, your doctor may order one or more of the following tests.

• Transvaginal ultrasound can provide pictures of the uterus using sound waves.
• Bloodwork can rule out other conditions like bleeding disorders and thyroid issues.
• Hysterosonogram involves taking images of the uterus after injecting sterile saline into it.
• Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) can help the doctor see whether the fallopian tubes are open and identify some submucosal fibroids.
• Hysteroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows a doctor to view the uterus by inserting a small telescope through the cervix.

If testing shows that you have these benign uterine growths and need treatment, our Las Vegas fertility doctors can help. If you simply want to control heavy bleeding, our doctors may recommend birth control pills. This treatment won’t eliminate the fibroids, but it may shrink them.

For uterine fibroid removal, our doctors offer fertility-sparing surgeries that are minimally invasive. Specifically, our team is trained to perform myomectomy. This minimally invasive procedure removes the fibroids and leaves the uterus intact. This allows the woman to conceive and welcome a baby in the future.

Contact us if you would like to learn more about getting treatment for fibroids.