Infertility happens when a man and woman struggle to get pregnant despite trying every month for a year. Various conditions lead to female infertility, including PCOS, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids.
Living with uterine fibroids is especially tough when they lead to painful symptoms – but sometimes the most unbearable symptom is infertility. The two have a powerful link, but pregnancy is possible.
If you're living with infertility and fibroids, the experienced Collaborative Women's Care team provides the support and treatments you need. Dr. Eduardo Valdes offers well-woman exams, fertility evaluations, and ultrasounds to help you achieve pregnancy, even with uterine fibroids.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that develop in the female reproductive tract. They grow from muscle within the uterine wall or other areas around the uterus.
Different types of fibroids develop depending on where they are in the uterus. Subserosal fibroids are very common and form in the outer aspect of the uterine wall. Intramural fibroids form in the middle layers of the uterus, and submucosal fibroids form inside the uterus.
Fibroids are highly prevalent and aren't usually a cause for concern. However, they may cause uncomfortable symptoms such as:
The symptoms of uterine fibroids vary from woman to woman. Some women don't have any symptoms at all, while others have debilitating pain and bleeding during and between cycles.
Although fibroids don't always cause infertility, some women will experience difficulty getting pregnant. The most significant factor with fibroids and infertility is the location in the uterus and the size of the tumor.
Certain fibroids are more likely to cause fertility problems, including those inside the uterine wall and ones that are larger than 6 centimeters. These fibroids cause infertility by changing the uterine lining.
A thinner-than-normal uterine lining makes it difficult for a fertilized egg to implant. A fibroid can also affect blood flow to the uterine lining, impacting how an egg implants or develops.
Fibroids that affect the cervix impact how sperm can get to an egg. They may also form in the fallopian tubes, preventing an egg from traveling to meet sperm. Even if the sperm can meet the egg, the fibroid prevents it from traveling into the uterus.
Dealing with infertility is a constant struggle, but there's good news – it's very possible to achieve pregnancy with uterine fibroids. Many women with fibroids won't have any issues with getting pregnant, but we always rule it out.
Dr. Valdes evaluates fertility issues through diagnostic exams and blood work. If he determines fibroids are the cause of infertility, several treatment options help.
He may prescribe certain medications that reduce fibroid symptoms and gonadotropin-releasing hormone to shrink it. If these don't work to resolve infertility, Dr. Valdes recommends surgery to remove the fibroid, which often increases fertility.
To schedule an appointment for uterine fibroids or infertility, call our Miami, Florida, office or request an appointment using our convenient online booking feature.
