Uterine fibroid

Noncancerous growths in the uterus during the childbearing year of a female called leiomyomas or myomas are generically called Uterine fibroid. They are not associated with any type of uterine cancer and they may never develop into cancerous tissue.

Most of the women have uterine fibroids at some time during their lives but as it does not cause any visible symptoms it goes undetected. These fibroids range in size from an undetectable seed to masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus. The uterus could be enlarged where it could sometimes touch the thoracic cage and also add weight to the body. Due to the mostly asymptomatic nature of the Uterine fibroid, it is most natural that this cannot be felt by the female and a doctor may also stumble on the fibroid in a pelvic examination or a prenatal ultrasound.

Research and clinical experience point towards a few causes that may be the reason for the Uterine Fibroid, lets check on them to increase our awareness about Uterine Fibroids.

Genetic changes or changes in genes that differ from the normal uterine muscle cells may cause Uterine fibroids to form in the Uterus

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone which stimulate the development of the lining of the uterine have been studies to promote the growth of Uterine fibroids. Studies also show that fibroid cells have more estrogen and progesterone receptors than the normal cells of Uterine muscles. These fibroids tend to shrink after menopause which points towards these two hormones in promoting the growth or development of Uterine fibroids. The fact that they shrink after menopause is also attributed to the decrease in the flow of estrogen and progesterone once a female attains menopause.

Another factor that promotes the growth of fibroids that came up during studies is the ECM (Extracellular Matrix). This material that keeps the cells together is more in Fibroids and they also contain growth factors pointing towards the generation of fibroids caused by the change enhanced by ECM in cells.

Fibroids vary in shape, size and growth patterns. There may be no similarity in them. Some fibroids grow slowly, some may grow very fast and some may remain the same size after their growth. Fibroids also tend to have growth spurts and some of them shrink after some time. Fibroids present during the pregnancy period of a female could shrink or disappear after the pregnancy when the uterus goes back to its normal size.

Mostly the fibroids don’t hinder a woman from getting pregnant as most of them are very small and dormant. But there have been cases where fibroids have caused infertility or pregnancy loss, especially when the fibroid is submucosal. Fibroids are also known to raise the risk of certain pregnancy-related complications like fetal growth restriction, placental abruption and preterm delivery.