20-50 pc women have fibroids once in lifetime: Expert

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 23

The occurence of uterine fibroids are quite common. In fact, studies show that 20-50 per cent of women have fibroids at least once during their lifetime. Fibroid development occurs in women usually in their thirties or forties but is increasingly becoming common among young girls today.

In the past, most women bear children in their twenties and early thirties, but these days more and more women are choosing to start a family later in life. Hence, the adverse effects of fibroids on the fertility of women have come to light.

Dr Mandeep Kaur, a fertility consultant, said, “Fibroids are very common in women of child-bearing age. About 20 per cent of women in general have fibroid by the age of 35 and that goes up to 70 per cent for women by 50. Women are more likely to have fibroids if they are overweight, because of the increase in oestrogen levels. Depending on the oestrogen levels in the body of pregnant women, existing fibroids may grow faster.”

Fibroids don’t always effect women’s fertility, as they may be either small or occur in areas that don’t affect the reproductive system.

“But certain fibroids have profound effects on the ability to conceive, stay pregnant, and carry a baby to term. Most of the times, fibroids change the shape of the cervix, which affects the movement of the sperms towards the egg. Fibroids can even block the journey of fertilised egg to fallopian tube and reduce uterine space needed for embryo development. Pregnant women with fibroids face miscarriage due to the decreased amount of blood supply to the embryo or the weak lining of a uterine cavity”, the expert said.

“If a woman has fibroids and she is trying to get pregnant, it is always recommended to consult a doctor and check the location of the fibroid to know whether it will prevent conception or cause complications in pregnancy, said Dr Mandeep Kaur adding that the most common treatments for uterine fibroids are myomectomy and embolisation.