What's the Fibroids Fertility Connection?

Are you worried about fertility with fibroids? The good news is that you can still conceive, even if you have uterine growths. However, because fibroids can affect your cervix and uterus, and can develop in areas that prevent conception or implantation, you may wish to seek treatment before you try to start a family.

Why Fibroids Impact Fertility

Clinical data reveals that the location of your fibroids is the biggest predictor of their effects on fertility. You see, some fibroids can prevent the connection between egg and sperm that's necessary for conception. Also, they can change the shape of your cervix, locking sperm out of the uterus. Or, they could block your fallopian tubes or change your uterine cavity, preventing implantation after conception.

Unfortunately, the problems don't always stop after conception. You see, fibroid growth is linked to estrogen production, and pregnancy increases your body's estrogen levels. As such, fibroids tend to grow larger during pregnancy, increasing the risk of miscarriage, pre-term labor, or the need for a cesarean section delivery.

What's the Best Fibroid Treatment for Fertility?

If you wish to preserve fertility while finding fibroid symptom relief, these are your best treatment options:

Myomectomy

This describes the surgical removal of uterine fibroids using minimally invasive procedures. While it works well for women with fewer fibroids, and seems to boost fertility, the surgery also carries the risk of uterine damage, meaning it could still negatively impact fertility.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization

This is a minimally invasive, non-surgical fibroid treatment that shrinks your growths, relieving your symptoms. Many women have reported successful pregnancies following UFE, but without scientific evidence that fully explains the impact of UFE on fertility, this is a treatment option to discuss carefully with your doctor.

Fibroids and Fertility Following Treatment

There is some evidence to suggest that women who undergo UFE have a slightly elevated risk for pregnancy complications such as early labor or pre-eclampsia as compared to women who choose myomectomy.

However, if you want to avoid surgery, or aren't a myomectomy candidate, you can take heart in the fact that studies show UFE delivers slightly better fibroid symptom relief as compared to myomectomy!

Fibroid Care in Georgia

If you want to find the best treatment for your fibroid diagnosis, you'll need to meet with our fibroid specialist in Georgia, to discuss treatment options that can support fertility.

Please call 678-915-2000 today to schedule a consultation with the experienced specialists at the Georgia Fibroids Center, or Click here to request an appointment