Fibroids are lumps of muscle, or benign tumors, that form within the uterus. There are two main types of fibroids:
Intramural fibroids develop in the muscle layer. Submucosal fibroids grow inside the uterine cavity and depending on their position and size, they can cause the uterus to change its shape, interfere with the placental blood supply and may compress one or both of the fallopian tubesAlso called the oviduct, it is one of a pair of ducts that lead from the peritoneal cavity over the ovary to the uterus. The tubes serve to lead the ovum to the uterus and the spermatozoa to the ovaries. The fallopian tubes are located in the lower abdomen by a broad ligament called the mesosalpinx.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. In rare cases they can be a cause of infertility.
Fibroids are usually detected during a routine pelvic examination and confirmed using ultrasound.
The incidence of fibroids is highest among women of Afro-Caribbean ethnicity and women over the age of thirty five. They are found in about five percent (1 in 20) pregnancies. While the condition is rarely the cause of infertility, they can be surgically removed in a procedure called myomectomy, that leaves the uterus and ovariesPart of the female reproductive system, it is one of a pair of female gonads located on each side of the lower abdomen. Similar in size and shape to an almond, at ovulation an egg is extruded from a follicle on the ovary's surface. The mature follicle secretes both estrogen and progesterone to regulate the menstrual cycle.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. undamaged.
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Fibroids are often discovered during the early stages of pregnancy, during a routine pelvic exam or by ultrasound. Women with fibroids will need to be monitored by an obstetrician who is familiar with fibroid pregnancies. There is usually no need for additional tests, especially if you are otherwise low risk and under the age of thirty five.
Often the fibroids cause no problems, but the increased flow of estrogenOne of a group of female hormonal steroids that promote secondary sex characteristics.
Created in the ovaries, adrenal cortices, and fetoplacental unit, estrogen is used to prepare the genital tract for fertilization, implantation and nutrition of the embryo.
Estrogen is a key ingredient in oral contraceptives. Estrogens include conjugated estrogen, esterified estrogen, estradiol, estriol and estrone.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. that occurs during pregnancy may cause small and previously unnoticed fibroids to grow in size and soften as the pregnancy progresses. Your obstetrician will monitor the development of the fibroids since a particularly rapid growth may affect the uterine blood supply and trigger a late miscarriage or premature labor. During the second half of your pregnancy a fibroid may degenerate, causing abdominal pain and low fever. While usually not serious, it can be uncomfortable.
Fibroids rarely cause problems in labor and delivery unless they grow particularly large or block the entrance to the birth canalThe passage through which the baby passes during delivery from the inlet of the true pelvis to the vaginal orifice.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. Your obstetrician will monitor the size and position of the fibroid throughout your pregnancy. There is an increased risk of heavy bleeding, or postpartum hemorrhage, after delivery.
If a fibroid degenerates during pregnancy your obstetrician will recommend bed rest, some analgesic medicationsA form of painkilling agent that doesn't induce unconciousness in the patient.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. to provide pain relief and ice packs placed on the abdomen. While the condition may sound alarming it will usually resolve itself within a week.
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