Women Uterine Fibroid: Diagnosis and Screening

What Do You Need To Know?

Fibroids or known as Leiomyoma/Myoma are noncancerous growths that develops from the uterus’ wall or muscle. It occurs in solitary or multiple growths. Uterine fibroids commonly happen in 20% of reproductive-age women.

Uterine fibroid is rarely found in women who have yet to start having menses and usually shrinks after menopause. It ranges in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye, to masses that distort and enlarge the uterus. Many women have uterine fibroid sometime in their lives but may not know they have them because uterine fibroids often cause no symptoms.

Fibroids may lead to discomfort, anaemia or drop in red blood cells, may cause infertility, pregnancy loss and raise the risk of certain pregnancy complications.

What Are Your Risk Factors?

Several risk factors lead to the development of uterine fibroids, other than being at reproductive age. Risk factors may include:

  • If your mother or sister had fibroid, you might be at an increased risk of developing one.
  • Onset menstruation at an early age
  • Obesity
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • A diet of high red meat, low in green vegetables, fruit, and dairy, may increase your risk of developing fibroids.
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What Are The Symptoms?

You may not be aware that you have uterine fibroids, as they often cause no symptoms. However, in cases that do, symptoms are influenced by location, size, and the number of fibroids.

Uterine fibroids may cause the following symptoms:

  • Lower abdominal discomfort or pressure on the pelvis
  • Pain or soreness below the waits
  • Menstrual pain (dysmenorrhoea)
  • Abnormal vaginal bleeding
    • Bleeding in between menstrual cycle or intermenstrual bleeding
    • Prolonged menses
    • Heavy menstrual flow or known as menorrhagia
  • If the fibroid is too large, one may experience pain during sexual intercourse
  • Pressure on the urinary bladder may cause a sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder or frequent urinating.
  • Pressure on the rectum may cause constipation

Time to get screened should you have the following symptoms.

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What Are The Complications of Uterine Fibroid?

3% of women with fibroid have difficulty conceiving due to the fibroid’s presence, which alters the uterine wall causing a problem in implanting the embryo.

A fibroid that is too large may also obstruct the fallopian tube causing difficulty to conceive. Fibroid in pregnancy will cause pain and pressure to the pelvis, which may result in premature labour.

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How Can a Doctor Diagnose Uterine Fibroids?

Your healthcare specialist may feel irregularities in your uterus’s shape and suggest that you may have fibroids.

Should you have symptoms of uterine fibroids, your doctor will suggest:

  • Ultrasound – An ultrasound uses waves to get a picture of your uterus to confirm a diagnosis, map, and measure fibroids.
  • Lab tests – If you are experiencing abnormal menstrual bleeding, other tests that may include a complete blood count (CBC) may be ordered to determine if you have anaemia because of chronic blood loss.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – An MRI is often used for women with larger uterus or women approaching menopause to identify different types of tumours and determine the appropriate course of action.

Our dedicated team at Mahkota Medical Centre is prepared to help you with your concerns. Consult our experts today and start your journey to become fibroid free.

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