Fibroids & pregnancy: things to know

Fibroids are benign, non-cancerous growths within or on the muscular walls of a uterus or womb. Some can be as small as a pea, while others can be as large as a cantaloupe. The uterus may have more than one fibroid in any area. Our experts can determine what the symptoms, location and size of your fibroids mean for your pregnancy.

Factors that increase a woman's risk of developing fibroids include:

• Age: Fibroids become more common as women age, especially during the 30s and 40s through menopause. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink.
• Family history: Having a family member with fibroids increases risk. If a woman's mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average.
• Ethnic origin: African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than white women.
• Obesity: Overweight women are at higher risk for fibroids. For very heavy women, the risk is two to three times greater than average.

Women with fibroids have a higher chance of complications during pregnancy and delivery, but that doesn't mean there will be problems. Most women with fibroids have normal pregnancies. The most common complications women with fibroids experience include:

• Cesarean section: The risk of needing a C-section is six times greater for women with fibroids.
• Baby is breech: The baby is not positioned well for vaginal delivery.
• Labor fails to progress
• Placental abruption: The placenta breaks away from the wall of the uterus before delivery. When this happens, the fetus does not get enough oxygen.
• Preterm delivery

Our specialists can help you decide which treatment option is best based on the symptoms, location and size of your fibroids. However, if you need treatment but want to preserve your uterus and avoid surgery, uterine fibroid embolization may be right for you. Uterine fibroid embolization improves symptoms in 85-90 percent of women. It's minimally invasive, requiring only a small nick in the skin. The procedure lasts less than an hour, and most patients are back to work within seven days. Learn more about fibroids treatment.