Part 1: What are uterine fibroids?  

Tara underwent a health checkup. She had an ultrasound of the pelvis done as part of the checkup. She was told she had fibroids. Till she could get an appointment to see her gynaecologist, she was anxious and jittery. She knew some friends and relatives who had had their uterus removed because of fibroids. Does she need to worry? Will the fibroid grow and cause complications? Tara must understand that most fibroids do not require surgery.

What are uterine fibroids?

Uterine fibroids are benign (noncancerous) tumours formed of connective tissue and smooth muscle. They grow slowly within the wall of the uterus or are attached to the uterine wall. They are also known as leiomyoma or myoma.

A uterine fibroid may vary in size and be as small as a groundnut or as large as a coconut. As the fibroid grows, the uterus may become deformed and lose its original shape. Most fibroids are noncancerous (benign) and it is very rare for them to turn cancerous (malignant).

Fibroids have become a major healthcare problem across the world. This is not because they pose a major threat to the health of women but because they have become the cause for thousands of hysterectomies being done, many of them unnecessarily. For a condition that is non-cancerous, they are absurdly responsible for more gynaecological surgery than any other disease.

In India, people consider a hysterectomy such a major procedure that the woman may take time off from work for as long as six months (though it is not necessary). Families tend to force rest on women who have had a hysterectomy, leading to unnecessary weight gain. The cost of time lost in terms of work and productivity is enormous.