Fibroid Tumors & Menopause

Fibroid tumors are non-cancerous growths in the uterus. According to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, an estimated 20 to 30 percent of women of child-bearing age have fibroids, often undiagnosed.

Symptoms

• Although uterine fibroids often have no symptoms, possible symptoms include heaviness in the belly, low back pain, pain with intercourse, frequent urination or incontinence, bowel problems, or severe menstrual pain and heavy bleeding.

Causes

• Although the causes of fibroid tumors are not known, it is known that estrogen promotes their growth.

Fibroids Approaching Menopause

• Because women approaching menopause have been exposed to high levels of estrogen for years, they have a greater risk of getting fibroids or of developing symptoms from fibroid tumors that previously had no symptoms.

Fibroids After Menopause

• Because estrogen levels are low after menopause, most fibroids disappear or at least shrink.

Considerations

• Frequently doctors do not treat fibroids that are not causing symptoms, but wait for them to shrink after menopause.