|  | Family Health | Womens Health

About Post Menopausal Uterine Fibroids

During post-menopause, the levels of the hormone responsible for menstruation---estrogen---has significantly decreased in order to stop further menstrual cycles. The remaining imbalance can cause the growth of uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids mostly affect women over the age of 30, according to Medline Plus. Even though it is not common for post-menopausal women to develop uterine fibroids, there still is a small risk.

  1. What are Uterine Fibroids?

    • Uterine fibroids are muscular growths, or tumors, that grow within the uterine walls, in the womb and around the outer perimeter of the uterus. Medically, uterine fibroids also are termed leiomyoma or myoma. For the most part, uterine polyps are benign and they can range in number. They also vary in size, being as small as a seed or as large as a grapefruit. In certain cases, they may become even larger, but this is rare.

    Symptoms

    • Most women with uterine fibroids have no symptoms at all, however, in some cases symptoms can be quite uncomfortable. They include heavy bleeding, which can be severe enough to cause anemia; bloating; enlarged lower abdomen; frequent urination; pain during sexual intercourse; and infertility, which is rare unless you are post-menopausal.

    Risks

    • There are many risks for developing uterine fibroids, the first being age. Uterine fibroids are more common as a woman ages, with the majority of cases occurring in her 30s and 40s. After menopause, they usually begin to shrink. Having a family history of fibroids increases your risk of developing them. If your mother or sister has fibroids, your risk of developing them are three times greater than usual, as stated by Womenshealth.gov. Other risk factors include ethnic origin, obesity and eating habits.

    Causes

    • According to womenshealth.gov, there are no solid answers as to what causes uterine fibroids, but researchers think hormones and genetics may play a role. Imbalances in the hormones estrogen and progesterone attribute to the hormonal causes. Researchers also aren't sure what causes uterine fibroids to shrink or stop growing.

    Treatment

    • If your symptoms are mild, your doctor may prescribe medication or suggest over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If you are experiencing heavy bleeding, taking an iron supplement is a good way to prevent iron-deficient anemia. Common treatments for uterine fibroids are low-dose birth control pills, progesterone injections and Mirena, an intrauterine device that is used to control bleeding and hormone levels. Another treatment option is to have the fibroid surgically removed. Surgery options are myectomy (removal of the fibroid only), hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), endometrial ablation (removal of the uterine lining, to control bleeding) or myolysis (use of a small needle to electrocute or freeze the fibroid).

Womens Health - Related Articles