Because uterine fibroids occur during a woman's childbearing years, many are concerned of the impact they have on pregnancy. Here we will discuss uterine fibroids and pregnancy.

Uterine fibroids, also known as myomas, fibromyomas, or leiomyomas, occur in as many as three out four women of childbearing age. In simple terms, there are just growths that can develop either on the inside or outside of the uterus. Though they may sound scary, the growths are not cancerous, and they almost never turn into cancer. They also do not cause an increased risk of uterine cancer.

Uterine fibroids and pregnancy are commonly discussed together when a woman finds out that she has fibroids. Many women fear that they will inhibit her ability to become pregnant or carry a baby to full term. In most cases, uterine fibroids are not even detected. This means that many women with the fibroids get pregnant and have healthy, happy babies without even known the fibroids are there. Most uterine fibroids do not cause any symptoms what so ever. When they do cause symptoms, they are often mild and include things like lengthy or heavy menstrual periods. While they can effect pregnancy in some severe cases, they most often do not cause any major problems.

Most of the time, uterine fibroids do not interfere with a woman's ability to conceive or carry a baby to full term. In some very rare cases, however, they can block or distort a woman's fallopian tubes. When this happens, the sperm may not be able to pass from the cervix to the fallopian tubes. In addition, sometimes submucosal fibroids, or those that grow inside the uterus, may prevent an embryo from implanting and growing. Research also indicates that women with uterine fibroids may also be at a slightly higher risk of miscarriage, separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, abnormal fetal position, and premature labor and delivery. These complications, however, are still rare and largely depend on the exact size location of the fibroid or fibroids. When there are multiple fibroids or large ones that distort the uterine cavity, a woman is at the highest risk of experiencing complications during pregnancy. The most common complication, however, is localized pain during the first and second trimesters. This pain is generally mild and can be treated with pain relievers.