40 percent of women between 35 and 55 years old have uterine fibroids, “which means that in Europe there are 24 million affected women, many of whom do not consult with their doctor until after five years,” they say from the HC Marbella gynecology unit.
These are the 5 things you should know about this disease:
The myoma is the benign gynecological tumor, more frequent in women of reproductive age, which in many cases cause infertity.
These fibroids arise in the muscular tissue of the uterus of the female population and although the causes of the formation are unknown, the fibroids suffer a considerable impact on the part of the female hormones, in particular to the estrogens since they stimulate their growth.
Another possible cause of a woman being more likely to develop uterine fibroids is given by genetics and the hereditary factor.
Fibroids can be classified according to their location in the female reproductive organ or according to their size.
Although 30 percent of women do not have any symptoms, many women who has got this disease, suffer effects that have a negative impact on their sexual, social and family life. The main symptoms of uterine myomas are excessive menstrual bleeding, abdominal swelling and pain, weight gain, complications in pregnancy and childbirth, pain during sexual relationships, the need to urinate more frequently or longer menstrual periods.
Regarding treatment, surgery is the most used option, both myomectomy, removal of fibroids without affecting the uterus, and hysterectomy, partial or total removal of the uterus.
However, many experts advise using ulipristal acetate (AUP), a progesterone modulator approved in Spain in 2013, which controls bleeding and pain in most patients.
Thanks to this treatment, 67% of tumors reduce their volume up to 25% and, consequently, about half of those affected avoid surgery.
Likewise, the ulipristal “reduces pain and improves the quality of life,” points out the specialists of the HC Marbella Gynecology Unit.
When tumors cause significant symptoms or are of a large size they can interfere with fertility or complicate a pregnancy; in that case, it is necessary to remove them.
The risk of infertility depends on the size, number and location of the myoms. For this, myomectomy would be the most valid option for women of reproductive age who want to become pregnant.
One of the main achievements of the AUP treatment is that it preserves fertility; “Possibly avoid hysterectomy in almost 50 percent of affected and will make it possible for many of them to have children. Preserving fertility in a priority interest of our Center“, commented our Doctors from the Gynecology Unit.
Only 0.5% of fibroids become malignant tumors (sarcomas). Sarcomas are cancers that originate in the tissues of the muscles, fat, bones and fibrous tissue that forms the tendons.
As myoms bleed abundantly, both during menstruation and irregularly. If these hemorrhages are not controlled they can cause anemia and other related problems, so it is important to treat them as soon as possible. The possibility of being malignant is evident but very unlikely.
October 11, 2018
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