How Uterine Fibroids Can Cause Infertility

Uterine fibroids are a type of benign (non-cancerous) fibrous growth or tumor that are quite common. In fact, between 30 and 80 percent of women will develop fibroids during their reproductive years. Uterine fibroids are typically accompanied by heavy menstrual cycles. While fibroids are generally ‘harmless’ the vast majority of the time, in some cases they can interfere with a woman’s ability to conceive and give birth to a healthy baby.

Austin, TX fertility expert Dr. Ruthie Harper has helped hundreds of women get to the root of their fertility issues, including many who were diagnosed with fibroids. If you are having difficulty conceiving, especially if you are experiencing extremely heavy bleeding during your periods, uterine fibroids may be the problem.

What Are Uterine Fibroids?

Fibroids, medically called fibromyomas or myomas, occur when muscular, fibrous tissue (tumors) grows inside the uterus, on its exterior surface, or on the uterine wall. Fibroids can range in size from as small as a grain of rice to larger than a softball, and their size can change over time. In extreme cases, a woman can have very large fibroids that cause the uterus to be up to 10 times normal size!

Causes of uterine fibroids include heredity, hormonal factors (levels of estrogen and progesterone), and changes in the extracellular matrix or “ECM” (the material that sticks cells together).

Symptoms of Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids typically develop during the childbearing years, especially between the ages of 30 and 40, when a woman’s estrogen levels are highest. Up to 30% of all women experience some fibroids by the age of 25, while up to 80% of women develop fibroids by age 50. Due to certain genetic factors, uterine fibroids tend to develop at younger ages and grow more rapidly in Black women.

In addition to heavy bleeding, symptoms of uterine fibroids can include lower back pain, painful sex, pelvic pressure, anemia, and frequent urination or difficulty urinating. But a woman may also have fibroids without any symptoms.

Whether uterine fibroids will have any impact on a woman’s fertility will depend upon on the location and the size of the fibroids, and how they are affecting the parts of the uterus that support conception, pregnancy, and delivery.

Types of Uterine Fibroids

Intramural fibroids, the most common type of uterine fibroid, and are located inside the wall of the uterus. These fibroids make the uterus feel larger than normal as they expand – almost like feeling pregnant.

On the other hand, subserosal fibroids grow on the outer wall of the uterus. This type of fibroid is the most likely to cause pain because they exert pressure on nearby organs as they grow outward.

Submucosal fibroids are the least common type. These grow under the inner lining of the uterus, protruding into the uterine cavity, where they typically cause bleeding problems.

How Fibroids Affect Fertility

While fibroids are found in 5 to 10% of infertile women, fertility experts estimate that uterine fibroids are the primary cause of infertility in only 3% of women. But when infertility is accompanied by unusually heavy bleeding and/or pelvic pain, the possibility of fibroids must always be considered.

Fibroids can interfere with fertility in a variety of different ways:

#1. Uterine fibroids can block the fallopian tubes, preventing the fertilized egg(s) from traveling to the uterus and successfully implanting.

#2. Fibroids can also change the shape of a woman’s cervix. This can interfere with the number of viable sperm that can reach the uterus and/or prevent successful implantation of a fertilized egg.

#3. Uterine fibroids can also thicken the uterine lining to a degree that prevents successful implantation of a fertilized egg.

#4. Fibroids can also reduce blood flow to the uterine cavity, which can impact egg implantation.

#5. Additionally, women who have fibroids during pregnancy can have a higher risk of pregnancy and delivery complications. Depending on the size and location, some fibroids can force the baby into an abnormal position which can trigger pain, placental abruption (separation of the placenta from the uterus), miscarriage, or preterm labor.

Diagnosis & Treatment of Fibroid Infertility

If you are having trouble conceiving after 6 months to a year of trying to become pregnant, it is important to see a fertility expert who can diagnose the underlying cause. While fibroids are a relatively rare cause of infertility, Dr. Harper can order diagnostic tests such as an ultrasound, MRI or hysteroscopic myomectomy if she suspects fibroids are contributing to your infertility.

In some cases, nonsurgical management of uterine fibroids is possible, including medicine that can help suppress the fibroid growth. There is also a medication called leuprolide acetate, which can help shrink uterine fibroid tissue.

For women with larger or multiple fibroids that are interfering with the ability to conceive, advanced minimally-invasive treatments or surgeries such as robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy can remove fibroids while leaving the uterus intact.

Infertility Doctor | Austin, TX

If you wish to conceive, and you believe you may be experiencing symptoms of uterine fibroids, it is essential to discuss your condition with a fertility specialist. While some uterine fibroids go away on their own, others can keep growing and may lead to complications such as anemia and infertility if left untreated.

Dr. Ruthie Harper can diagnose and treat the underlying conditions that are interfering with your fertility to help you improve your chances of getting pregnant naturally – without expensive or artificial intervention treatments. If you live in the greater Austin area, schedule an appointment today and take the first step toward realizing your dream of growing your family.

Infertility Doctor | Austin, TX: (512) 343-9355