Uterine Fibroids and Your Menstrual Period and Reproductive Health
A woman’s body undergoes a lot of changes when she starts having her menstrual periods. After menarche, a woman would already be at risk of developing uterine fibroids. These non-benign tumors in the uterus could affect when the monthly period starts, how long it lasts, and how heavy the blood flow is. But, the occurrence of pregnancy and menopause is not directly affected by the presence of fibroids alone. On the other hand, fibroids are affected by the hormonal changes in women during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.
Marking Your Calendar
It is normal for women to mark their calendars and plot their menstrual periods. Ideally, your monthly visitor should come in as short as 21 days to as long as 35 days. In teenage girls, it could stretch as long as 45 days between the first day of their period for the current cycle to the first day of their period for the next cycle. It is not unusual for some women to have irregular periods with no other underlying health conditions causing the less predictable cycle. In many cases, however, missed periods are a cause for concern.
One of the causes of delayed or missed periods is fibroids. These tumors in the uterus could block the flow of menstruation. For those who have had fibroids removed, the scarring of the uterine walls could result in secondary amenorrhea. More than delayed periods, however, fibroids are more likely to cause more frequent periods (bleeding in between periods) and heavier bleeding.
Having a Baby
Some women worry when their periods are delayed or when they have missed periods. For those who are sexually active, pregnancy is often suspected as the reason for the lack of menstruation. Apart from getting a pregnancy test, consulting a doctor is highly advisable to identify exactly what is causing the missed periods. The doctor should be able to recommend the course of treatment or management if fibroids are found to be the cause.
Having fibroids does not automatically mean that a woman cannot have a baby. Many women who have fibroids have conceived and successfully given birth to healthy babies without complications. For the 10 to 30 percent of fibroids patients who experience complications, more attention and care is necessary to pull through and minimize any adverse effects the complications may have.
While a study showed that third of fibroids could grow bigger in the first trimester of pregnancy, another study presented results showing that fibroids actually shrink after delivery.
Pregnant women with fibroids could experience pain in their last two trimesters of pregnancy. This is true for women with fibroids that are more than than 5 centimeters in diameter. If the uterine fibroids are too big, they could take up more space in the womb and restrict fetal growth as well. More serious complications include placental abruption and miscarriage. In most cases, pregnant women with fibroids deliver through C-section.
Welcoming Menopause
Dealing with menopause is not something that many women look forward to. It comes with a number of physical, emotional, and psychosocial effects – most of them unpleasant. But, those who have fibroids should welcome menopause as it could spell the end of their fibroids too.
Even as women nearing menopause are most at risk of having fibroids, they are most likely to get relief from their symptoms when they do get to menopause. Fibroids are known to shrink during menopause when the hormones that feed them drop to their lowest levels.
Taking Action
There are steps that you can take now in order to prevent fibroids from affecting your menstruation and your reproductive health. Get examined and find out what your state of health is now. Go back to your doctor at least one every year – bring it up to once every 6 months if you can – for early detection and treatment of uterine fibroids.
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