Health Center - Reproductive and Pelvic Health
No matter your age, the health of your reproductive and urinary organs—your pelvic organs—is important. If something goes wrong "down there," it affects your overall health and quality of life. Get answers to all of your most pressing questions and put an end to embarrassing symptoms.
Fibroids: Symptoms and Treatment Options
Fibroids are noncancerous uterine tumors that occur in most women by the time they reach menopause. Fibroids don't always cause symptoms; however, an estimated 20 to 25 percent of women with fibroids will experience symptoms.
Symptoms
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (so heavy, it may lead to anemia). This is the most common symptom.
- A mass in the pelvis that may make you appear pregnant
- Pressure in the pelvic area caused by the enlarged uterus
- Frequent urination
- Urinary incontinence
- Difficulty emptying bladder
- Constipation
- Rectal pressure
- Pelvic pain
- Infertility (with fibroids that bulge into the uterine cavity)
Treatment Considerations
Treating fibroids is optional. In almost all cases, fibroids only need to be treated if they cause symptoms that are so bothersome that they interfere with your quality of life. Treatments include:
Medical Options:
