On March 9, Ilona Dovgal, an obstetrician-gynecologist at INVITRO-YUG, told Izvestia about symptoms that may indicate uterine fibroids.
According to the specialist, fibroids are the most common benign tumor of the female reproductive system. The frequency of the disease in reproductive age reaches 70%. The average age at which fibroids are diagnosed is 32–34 years. Currently, there is a trend towards an increase in the detection of this pathology in nulliparous women under 30 years of age.
“The cause of uterine fibroids is an imbalance of steroid hormones: estrogen and progesterone. In addition, the nature of fibroids is confirmed genetically. This pathology in 5–10% of women is hereditary,” the doctor noted.
Dovgal said that uterine fibroids are mostly asymptomatic, so diagnosis usually happens by accident. Most often, it is found when examining women who come when planning a pregnancy or for prevention.
“The clinical symptoms that speak of fibroids are dysfunctional uterine bleeding, anemia, pain in the lower abdomen, dysfunction of nearby organs (such as the bladder or impaired defecation),” the Izvestia interlocutor said.
She stressed that if uterine fibroids are not diagnosed in time, complications may arise.
“First, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, which can lead to severe anemia. In addition, fibroids with long-term existence and rapid growth can degenerate into sarcoma – a malignant neoplasm, which further leads to a violation of the quality of life, ”the specialist warned.
Dovgal added that there is no specific prevention of uterine fibroids.
“If it is asymptomatic and the woman is not bothered by anything (no anemia, bleeding), then it is recommended to see a gynecologist once every six months, like any healthy woman. Observation includes examination, ultrasound diagnostics, blood and hormonal tests, a smear for oncocytology and flora, ”the doctor explained.
However, in some cases, fibroids require medical treatment. It is prescribed after examination, ultrasound examination and hysteroscopy, that is, determining the quality of the endometrium and assessing the possibility of prescribing drugs.
“When the fibroid grows large (12 weeks or more), surgical treatment is required. In most cases, these operations are performed laparoscopically, which allows you to simultaneously remove nodes in different places of the uterus and then restore the muscles of the uterus with layered sutures, ”concluded the expert.
On January 27, doctor Olga Shuppo named the causes of the severe course of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women. According to her, this is not a problem of the ovaries or hormonal failure, the reason is deeper. The severe form of PMS in women may be associated with the specifics of the anatomy, the specialist noted.
