Fibroids occur in the reproductive tract of women and can be of varying sizes. They may be pea sized or almost as large as a melon. Fibroids may or may not cause discomfort.

Women with fibroids generally experience pain and/or pressure in the pelvic region and frequent and heavy periods. Fibroids are clusters of uterine cells and need proper treatment. In severe cases, fibroid surgery may be the only option.

Fibroid Surgery: when and why?

Unfortunately, fibroids cannot be completely treated with medicines. Medications may be able to shrink the fibroid and will help to reduce the menstrual flow. Medications give a little respite but they cannot dissolve the fibroids completely. This makes it imperative that the women opt for Myomectomy or surgical removal of fibroids.

Fibroid SurgeryFibroids are generally benign and rarely turn cancerous for pre-menopausal women but they need surgical intervention when the woman is post-menopausal and is not using hormone therapy.

Different surgical procedures may be used depending on the condition of the patient and the number and size of the fibroids present

Do fibroids cause infertility?

Fibroids are generally not responsible for infertility. Infertility may occur when there are multiple fibroids blocking the fallopian tubes. Even if one of the tubes is normal, the woman can get pregnant. Only when both the fallopian tubes are blocked, can fibroids be a direct cause of infertility. In such cases, fibroid surgery may prove to be the only option available.

Fibroids and miscarriages

The presence of fibroids may cause mid-trimester miscarriages. If a woman is experiencing repeated miscarriages, she may be having multiple fibroids that are hindering the fetus from reaching term. Fibroid surgery can help improve the condition.

Research shows that surgical removal of fibroids has helped a large number of women, who have suffered multiple miscarriages, especially in the mid trimester. It has also been observed that fibroid surgery has proved to be more beneficial for women who have uterine distortion due to the presence of fibroids.

It is safe to say that the surgical procedure had no significant effect on women who did not suffer from uterine distortion due to the presence of fibroids.

Is myomectomy for everyone?

Myomectomy or the surgical removal of fibroids without harming the uterus is the best option for women who have not completed their family and wish to have more children in the future. Surgical removal of fibroids does not ensure that the fibroids will not recur at a later stage. There is a high probability that fibroids will reappear after some time.

The doctors recommend hysterectomy or removal of uterus as the better option for women who do not plan to have any more children in the future. This ensures that the fibroids will not reappear and cause further problems.

Different types of surgeries

Traditionally fibroid removal required major surgery, but is now performed laparoscopic by experts. Laparoscopic surgery requires minimum invasion and is a safe procedure in the hands of an expert. A laparoscopic fibroid surgery would mean a small incision in the abdomen that heals faster and carries less risk of contamination.