Fibroids During Pregnancy: Symptoms, Effects, and Treatments

Fibroids, also recognized as leiomyomas, are a common issue amongst many women. Around forty to sixty per cent of women have fibroids as they reach the age of thirty-five, while up to eighty per cent of them have fibroids by the age of fifty.

Fibroids may also exist during pregnancy. Larger fibroids may even impact conception, fetal development and childbirth. Here is what you need to know about fibroids during pregnancy.

Fibroids’ signs and symptoms

In most cases, fibroids go unnoticed since they do not always show any signs and symptoms. The primary indication of fibroids in asymptomatic women is abnormal bleeding either in the form of extended or heavy menstrual bleeding.

Pain is also fibroid’s most common symptom, particularly if they are big. Sometimes the fibroids may twist, leading to discomfort and cramping. Other times, they relinquish the blood supply, becoming red and dying (a process known as red degeneration), which result in severe stomach pains. In certain cases, it may result in miscarriage.

Fibroids’ other common symptoms during pregnancy include the following:

• Severe cramps like that of menstrual cramps

• Tension in the tummy and widespread pain

• Digestions issues like constipation

• Frequent urge to urinate if the tumour apply pressure on the bladder

Women might also experience back pain or difficulty urinating. However, these symptoms are rare.

How does fibroids affect pregnancy?

Fibroids are not cancerous. While most women with fibroids go on to have a normal pregnancy, the condition may sometimes cause challenges. Here are some problems they may experience:

• During the first trimester: Most fibroids do not develop while a woman is pregnant. However, if it does happen, it most likely occurs during the first three months of pregnancy. Key problems which may happen during this time include miscarriage, bleeding and pain. Women diagnosed with fibroids are at a higher risk of getting a miscarriage in the early pregnancy then healthy women. Those who have very big or multiple fibroids have a much higher risk.

• During the second and third trimesters: As the uterus keeps expanding to make room for the little one during this period, it can push against the fibroids, resulting in several problems, including pain and preterm delivery. Ongoing research also found that pregnant women with fibroids seem to have a higher chance of placental abruption compared to those without fibroids. This condition tears away placenta from the uterus’ wall before the baby is delivered. The baby will have insufficient oxygen, and the pregnant women may experience heavy bleeding, or in a worst-case scenario, go into shock.

• During childbirth: Many studies found that uterine fibroids increase the risk of pregnant women having a caesarean section as the fibroids can keep their uterus from contracting and might even block the birth canal, thereby slowing down the labour progress. Another potential issue during this time is breech birth. Unlike in a normal delivery where the baby’s head comes out from the birth canal first, in breech birth, the baby’s feet or butt will come out first.

• After delivery: Fibroids usually become smaller after pregnancy. One study found that up to seventy per cent of women noticed their fibroids shrink to more than fifty per cent around three to six months delivery.

How to treat fibroids in pregnancy?

A physician may recommend several surgical procedures to treat fibroids during pregnancy. If the fibroids are especially huge, which may result in critical implications, a surgeon may carry out a myomectomy, removing the tumours during pregnancy. Nevertheless, this treatment is rarely performed since the surgery may lead to further complications. Some gynecology clinic Singapore may also offer Singapore laparoscopic surgery and carry out laparoscopic surgery for large fibroids.

A more common method nowadays is removing the growths during cesarean delivery. However, this procedure is still risky. Therefore, it will only take place when necessary. The safest option, if possible, is to wait until after the baby is born to remove the fibroids.

Generally, having fibroids during pregnancy may cause issues and may require high-risk management. It may even lead to miscarriage. Hence, pregnant women should consult with their gynaecologist to lower their risk of developing this condition before getting pregnant or ask for proper treatment in case they are diagnosed with it.