Amelia Grant

Whether you are already pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or simply considering a future pregnancy, learning that you have one or more uterine fibroids can be concerning. You may be wondering what, if anything, you should do to treat uterine fibroids during or before pregnancy, whether those treatments are even safe, and how treating fibroids affects your chances of later becoming pregnant.

Uterine fibroids rarely interfere with pregnancy. They can, however, present difficulties depending on their location.

Can I get pregnant if I have uterine fibroids?

Yes. Fibroids affect only 5-10% of infertile women. In other words, it is not a primary cause of infertility, and having fibroids does not guarantee that you will have difficulty getting pregnant.

However, it is important to note that fibroids can disrupt both conception and implantation. Uterine fibroids can interfere with pregnancy in a variety of ways. This includes sperm-blocking anatomical abnormalities, changes in normal uterine contractions, anti-inflammatory responses, and uterine lining changes.

Should I treat uterine fibroids before I get pregnant? 

Yes, in theory. If you are diagnosed with fibroids outside of pregnancy and your doctor determines that the size or location of your fibroids may interfere with your chances of conceiving or carrying a baby to full term, it is best to have them surgically removed before becoming pregnant. However, the timing of that treatment should be coordinated with your doctor.

You should try to schedule the surgery around the time you want to conceive. Otherwise, you risk having more fibroids or fibroid regrowth if you wait too long after surgery to try to conceive.

How do fibroids influence pregnancy?

In many cases, fibroids have no effect on pregnancy, but their size can sometimes interfere with your prenatal care.

It can be difficult to measure the size of the baby and assess fetal growth if they are extremely large, so we may need to perform regular ultrasounds to ensure the baby is growing normally.

Furthermore, fibroids can increase your risk of placental issues such as placental abruption and placenta previa. The other issue to be concerned with during pregnancy is the growth of existing fibroids; increases in hormone production during pregnancy can cause changes in the size of fibroids, whether they are larger or smaller.

Can I treat fibroids during pregnancy?

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do to treat fibroids during pregnancy; most surgical procedures on the uterus will only be performed in rare cases to protect the baby.

Your doctor will most likely advise you to manage any pain symptoms during pregnancy conservatively, which may include getting more rest and taking pregnancy-safe pain relievers.

How do fibroids affect delivery?

While many pregnant women have fibroids and no complications during pregnancy, there are still risks, such as preterm labor and postpartum hemorrhaging.

Because fibroids enlarge the uterus, you may be predisposed to preterm labor if they are large. For the same reason, there is an increased risk of abnormal bleeding during delivery, and the uterus may not contract as easily as a non-fibroid uterus after delivery.

Because fibroids in the lower segment of the uterus can cause the baby to present in a breech position, increasing your chances of needing a C-section, the location of your fibroids can affect the outcome of your baby's birth.

What should I do about my fibroids after pregnancy?

That is dependent on what happens to them after pregnancy, because the hormonal changes associated with childbirth and breastfeeding may aid in the shrinkage of fibroids.

However, if your fibroids persist after delivery, the standard fibroid treatments used for non-pregnant women are still relatively safe. However, it is advised to wait at least six months postpartum before undergoing any surgical procedures to allow the uterus to heal and shrink back to its normal size.