How Fibroids Can Affect Pregnancy

How do fibroids and pregnancy work together? Because these non-cancerous growths develop in and around the uterus, they can interfere with everything from conception, to fetal growth and how you deliver your baby. In this post, we explain all the important details you kneed to know to make an informed decision.

Fibroids and Pregnancy: What's the Impact?

Uterine fibroids can interfere with conception. That's mainly the case if the growths block your fallopian tubes, or keep an embryo from implanting in the lining of the uterus. Even after conception, having a fibroid can increase your risk for a miscarriage. Then, all through the pregnancy, there may be additional challenges. These include:

1. Restrictions on the growth of the fetus, or on its movement within your uterus.
2. Limits on blood flow reaching your developing fetus.
3. Placental abruption, which restricts oxygen and nutrients from reaching your fetus.
4. Early labor.
5. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) which, according to the Journal of Hypertension, include an increased risk for high blood pressure and preeclampsia because of your fibroids.

Fibroids and Pregnancy: Exploring Treatment

Treating fibroids during pregnancy is not recommended, unless there is an emergency that necessitates its removal. So, if you become pregnant while you have a fibroid, your doctor will likely monitor its growth along with that of your baby. Now, while many women can deliver a healthy baby with a fibroid, you may prefer to seek treatment prior to trying to conceive.

Here at Georgia Fibroids, our interventional radiologists provide Uterine Fibroid Embolization, a minimally invasive treatment that shrinks fibroids without surgery. However, while we know that women who undergo UFE can go on to have healthy pregnancies, it's important to be educated about this procedure. UFE is what we call a fertility-neutral fibroid treatment option. And that means that choosing to undergo the UFE procedure will neither hinder nor improve your chances of conceiving a baby.

Curious if you're a good candidate for UFE? Click here to request an appointment with our Georgia fibroid specialists.