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What Is a Poly Fibroid?

A fibroid is a benign tumor that consists of fibrous and muscular tissue, commonly found in the uterine wall and ovaries of women. Often women are diagnosed with poly fibroids, that is, multiple fibroids. Fibroids can have more than one cause, but are related to the production of estrogen and other hormones in females.

  1. Causes of Fibroids

    • Family studies have demonstrated a strong genetic link with fibroids (i.e., problems with fibroids tend to occur in the daughters and granddaughters of women with fibroids), but more studies are required to determine the nature of the genetic relationship. We do know that fibroids are definitely related to the production of estrogen and other hormones in females, and there is some evidence pointing to diet and obesity as factors.

    Symptoms of Fibroids

    • Fibroids, and poly fibroids, can have many different symptoms, but often do not present symptoms until the tumors reach a certain size. Symptoms of fibroids include irregular periods, extreme bleeding during periods, bloating, pelvic pain, weight gain, excessive body hair growth, and sometimes difficulty in conceiving. In the most severe cases, the woman may even develop anemia from excess bleeding. Pain may or may not be associated with fibroids.

    Diagnosing Fibroids

    • The first step in diagnosing poly fibroids is a pelvic exam. The doctor can usually tell just by the size of the uterus if you have larger fibroids. An ultrasound or MRI is often performed to confirm the number and location of large fibroids. In some cases, a gynecologist may suggest a laparoscopy, a minimally invasive exploratory surgery through the navel that allows the fallopian tube and ovaries to be more clearly viewed.

    Treatment of Poly Fibroids

    • Unless the problem is already severe, most physicians will attempt to treat fibroids with hormone therapy. If this is not sufficient, typically the next procedure is a dilation and curettage (D and C) where the doctor scrapes the endometrium of the uterus to remove fibroids or polyps. Fibroids may also be excised through a hysteroscopy, which is another minimally invasive procedure that is frequently undertaken in the doctor's office. In the most severe cases, sometimes a hysterectomy, or complete removal of the uterus, is undertaken.

    Other Facts About Poly Fibroids

    • The symptoms of fibroids are highly variable. Some women can have fibroids as big as grapefruit with little to no discomfort, while other women will have great pain and other symptoms with pea-sized fibroids. In some women, individual fibroids can grow up to five pounds or even larger in extreme cases.

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