FERTILITY SPARING MANAGEMENT IN UTERINE FIBROIDS

Course overview

UTERINE FIBROIDS ARE THE MOST COMMON BENIGN NEOPLASM IN WOMEN, AFFECTING UP TO 70 TO 80% OF WOMEN. WHILE OFTEN ASYMPTOMATIC, AS MANY AS 30% OF PATIENTS DEVELOP VARIOUS DEBILITATING SYMPTOMS SUCH AS HEAVY MENSTRUAL BLEEDING (HMB), BULK-RELATED SYMPTOMS (E.G., PELVIC PAIN/PRESSURE, URINARY/BOWEL OBSTRUCTION), AND INFERTILITY. THE MERE PRESENCE OF FIBROIDS INCREASES THE RISK FOR OBSTETRICAL COMPLICATIONS. SYMPTOMATIC UTERINE FIBROIDS ARE THE MAIN BENIGN INDICATION FOR HYSTERECTOMY, A TREATMENT OPTION THAT IS NOT IDEAL FOR THOSE DESIRING FUTURE FERTILITY. THIS ACTIVITY DISCUSSES THE EPIDEMIOLOGY, CLINICAL FEATURES, DIAGNOSIS OF UTERINE FIBROIDS, REVIEWS THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON FERTILITY, AND COVERS THE MEDICAL, SURGICAL, AND PROCEDURAL MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR WOMEN DESIRING FUTURE FERTILITY AND THE RISKS AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.