Do Fibroids Go Away on Their Own?

The number of women who have uterine fibroids is not small — estimates range from 20% to 80% of women under the age of 50. The reason for the wide range is that most fibroids do not cause any symptoms, so women aren’t even aware of their existence.

The other good news is that more than 99% of uterine fibroids are non-cancerous

As specialists in women’s reproductive health, the team here At Bay Area Physicians for Women’s Health has extensive experience helping women with uterine fibroids. Given our expertise, we want to share some basic information about this common condition, including whether fibroids go away on their own.

Fibroids 101

As we mentioned, the vast majority of uterine fibroids are benign and not associated with cancer. With that concern out of the way, let’s review these common growths.

Most uterine fibroids develop during a woman’s reproductive years, which is to say between the ages of 15 and 49, and their growth is linked to higher levels of estrogen and progesterone.

Fibroids are mostly muscular growths that grow in the wall of your uterus, and they can range in size from a tiny seed to something much larger, like a grapefruit. Women can have a single fibroid or many, and their size and location are often the most influential factors as to whether you develop symptoms.

Behind symptomatic fibroids

We’ve reviewed that many women are unaware that they have fibroids, but some do develop symptoms if the fibroids become large enough, numerous enough, or are located in a challenging area. When symptoms develop, they can include:

• Heavy bleeding, which can, in extreme cases, lead to anemia
• Abdominal pressure
• Pressure on your bladder or rectum, which can lead to frequent urination or constipation
• Pain during sex
• Lower back pain

Fibroids generally don’t pose any fertility concerns, but they can be problematic for pregnancy, including a six-fold increase in your risks for Cesarean section.

Do fibroids fade away?

Now let’s get to the main topic of this blog about whether fibroids resolve themselves and the short answer is ‘Not Likely.’ 

What does happen is that, when you pass through menopause and your hormone levels drop, fibroids generally stop growing. Not only do fibroids stop growing with lower hormone levels,  these growths can shrink, though there’s no guarantee here.

So, if you’re dealing with symptomatic fibroids, you shouldn’t rely on just waiting them out as that might not happen. We can manage your symptoms and place you on hormone medications to control growth, but the only way to get rid of them is through surgical removal, which is an effective solution. And we offer this minimally invasive surgery, which is called a myomectomy, here.

If you know you have fibroids and they don’t lead to any symptom, our advice is to leave well enough alone.

To figure out which approach is best for your uterine fibroids, we’re happy to perform a comprehensive assessment. To get started, we invite you to contact our office in Mobile, Alabama, to schedule an appointment.