I wanted to do this post to bring awareness to all women of all ages. Take care of your bodies starting early in age. Please see this video and if your periods are heavy it’s usually a sign. Please share and subscribe. Take care of yourselves.
What are Uterine Fibroids?
- Fibroids are benign (non-cancer) growths of the uterus, or womb
- Fibroids are very common in women of childbearing age.
- Fibroids are made of muscle cells and other tissues
- Fibroids are fed by nutrient-rich blood from the uterine arteries
- Fibroids grow over time
- Fibroids become smaller after a woman stops having periods (menopause)
- The cause of fibroids is unknown
- Risk factors for having fibroids include being African American, being 40 to 50 years of age, and being overweight or obese.
What causes fibroids?
No one knows for sure what causes fibroids. Researchers think that more than one factor could play a role. These factors could be:
- hormonal (affected by estrogen and progesterone levels)
- genetic (runs in families)
We do know that they are under hormonal control—both estrogen and progesterone. They grow rapidly during pregnancy, when hormone levels are high. They shrink when anti-hormone medication is used. They also stop growing or shrink once a woman reaches menopause.
Who gets fibroids?
There are factors that can increase a woman’s risk of developing fibroids.
- Age. Fibroids become more common as women age, especially during the 30s and 40s through menopause. After menopause, fibroids usually shrink.
- Family history. Having a family member with fibroids increases your risk. If a woman’s mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average.
- Ethnic origin. African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than white women.
- Obesity. Women who are over- weight are at higher risk for fibroids. For very heavy women, the risk is two to three times greater than aver- age.
- Eating habits. Eating a lot of red meat (e.g., beef) is linked with a higher risk of fibroids. Eating plenty of green vegetables seems to protect women from developing fibroids.
What are symptoms of fibroids?
Fibroids may have the following symptoms:
—Longer, more frequent, or heavy menstrual periods
—Menstrual pain (cramps)
—Vaginal bleeding at times other than menstruation
—Anemia (from blood loss)
—In the abdomen or lower back (often dull, heavy and aching, but may be sharp)
—During sex
—Difficulty urinating or frequent urination
—Constipation, rectal pain, or difficult bowel movements
—Abdominal cramps
- Enlarged uterus and abdomen
- Miscarriages
- Infertility
- Fibroids also may cause no symptoms at all. Fibroids may be found during a routine pelvic exam or during tests for other problems.
What If Patient Becomes Pregnant and has Fibroids?
Asymptomatic small or medium sized fibroids alone are unlikely to present significant risk to pregnancy. However, fibroids may increase in size as a result of increased levels of hormones and blood flow to the uterus during pregnancy. The growth of fibroids may cause discomfort, feelings of pressure, or pain. Additionally, large or multiple fibroids can increase the risk of:
- Cesarean section-The risk of needing a c-section is six times greater for women with fibroids.
- Breech Presentation- The baby is positioned with its legs down and head up rather than the head down.
- Labor fail
Please read and see more information. I included this video which is my daughter going through this. Take care of yourselves.
