How Do Fibroids Affect Pregnancy And Fertility

How Do Fibroids Affect Pregnancy And Fertility

If you are trying to start a family and discover that you have fibroids, it can be quite alarming. However, in several cases, women are able to get pregnant naturally despite having fibroids. But, there are several complications that may arise during your pregnancy or when you are delivering your baby. Therefore, it is extremely important for you to understand how fibroids affect pregnancy so that you can take the necessary measures to treat them as early as possible.

What are fibroids and their symptoms?

Sometimes there are benign tumors that may grow in the uterus or your womb. This is an extremely common condition that may affect women between the ages of 25 to 44 years and mostly women who are over 50. For those who are trying to get pregnant, you must understand the symptoms of these fibroids as they may occur in your childbearing age. This will help you treat them at the earliest and have a smooth and safe pregnancy. Also read: 10 Most Common Complications During Pregnancy

Symptoms of fibroids

The most common symptoms of fibroids are:
  • Very heavy bleeding and pain during your periods.
  • Bleeding in between the periods.
  • Anemia due to heavy blood loss.
  • Long duration of each menstrual cycle.
  • Feeling some pressure in the lower abdomen at all times.
  • Painful sex.
  • Lower back pain.
  • Infertility.
  • Frequent urination and trouble emptying the bladder.
  • Constipation.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, make sure that you visit your doctor immediately. A pelvic exam will be conducted to see if there are any fibroids in the uterus and take necessary measures accordingly.

How fibroids affect pregnancy?

As mentioned before, you can get pregnant when you have fibroids. However, there may be several complications that you will have to deal with along the way. If you are wondering how fibroids affect pregnancy, here are some things that you should know:

#1. Restricted growth of the fetus

If your fibroids are too large in size, then the room available for your baby in your womb is lesser. This may lead to reduced growth of the fetus and also lead to developmental issues.

#2. Breaking away of the placenta

This is one of the major ways how fibroids affect pregnancy. Also known as placental abruption, this is a condition in which the placenta will simply break away from the uterus. The result is that the baby does not get the nutrition and oxygen that it needs in order to develop fully. Also read: Pregnancy Risks After 35 Years Of Age

#3. Premature birth

Fibroids can cause extreme pain. This can also lead to severe uterine contractions which will lead to preterm or early birth of your baby.

#4. Cesarean delivery

The chances of having a C-section are six times higher in case of women who have fibroids, compared to those who do not have them.

#5. Breeched birth

Depending upon the size of the fibroid, the position of the baby may also change in the uterus. This prevents the baby from getting in the correct position, leading to a breeched birth.

#6. Miscarriage

If not treated early, a miscarriage is possible. It has been noticed that women who have fibroids are at double the risk of having miscarriages and loss of pregnancy. There are two factors that determine how do fibroids affect pregnancy. One is the position of the fibroid and the second is the size of the fibroid. While there are several women who have had a smooth pregnancy despite having fibroids, you must make sure that you are checked by your doctor the minute you suspect chances of fibroids. Also read: Placenta: Development & Function During Pregnancy Fibroids can also grow in size when you are pregnant changing how can fibroids affect pregnancy. This is because the level of a hormone called estrogen rises dramatically when you are pregnant. This causes the fibroids to grow in size and increase the complications and risks.

Treating fibroids during pregnancy

Since there are risks to your fetus, treating fibroids before you get pregnant is recommended. However, there are some measures that can be taken when you have fibroids and are pregnant. The most recommended options are ample bed rest, drinking lots of water and fluids and consuming mild pain relievers.
However, if the fibroid may cause several unwanted issues, they may be removed using a myomectomy. However, this is only performed during the second half of your pregnancy. The best way to avoid these complications is to treat fibroids before you get pregnant. You may choose to have them removed, use birth control pills and measures to reduce the pain caused by fibroids, consume medication and even use laser treatment or radio frequency to reduce the size of the fibroids. Also read: Weight Gain During Pregnancy (Trimester By Trimester) Want to share your experience as a mom with other moms through words or images? Become a part of the Moms United community. Click here and we will get in touch with you

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