16 Feb 2016
EmbolizationFibroids and Fertility
Treatment of uterine fibroids in patients with fertility problems may be considered once other possible causes of infertility have been ruled out. Treatment depends on several factors and each patient must be evaluated individually considering size, number and type of fibroids.
There are many published studies on embolization and pregnancy.
Successful treatment
Uterine artery embolization has been successfully performed in women with fibroids and infertility problems. The relationship between uterine fibroids, fertility and pregnancy is not clearly demonstrated.
Although uterine fibroids occur in 40% of women, they are not specifically more frequent in women with infertility problems. In any case, uterine fibroids are considered a factor that can predispose to infertility, and they are thought to be the cause of 10% of infertility cases.
In this way, when a patient with uterine fibroids presents fertility problems and other possible causes have been ruled out, treatment of these fibroids should be considered.
The treatment will depend on several factors and each patient must be evaluated individually considering size, number and type of fibroid.
STATISTICS
On the other hand, it must be added that between 4 and 5% of women who become pregnant are diagnosed with uterine fibroids at that time. 80% of these uterine fibroids will remain stable or will return (get smaller), and only 20% of them can cause some type of problem (miscarriage, preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, presentation abnormal and caesarean section)
All this will depend on the size of the fibroid, the number of them and their location. During pregnancy, generally, no treatment for uterine fibroids is necessary, but gynecological controls and advice must be followed.
Today it is clear that women can become pregnant after embolization. More and more young women with fibroids are treated with this technique.
In recent studies (year 2013), the pregnancy rate after embolization was comparable to the pregnancy rate that occurred after myomectomy surgery, with a full-term pregnancy rate ranging from 60 to 70% of treated women, which is very similar to the population of normal women of the same age group.