How can Fibroids Cause Complications during Pregnancy?
Recent research has shown that about 70% to 80% women, who have attained their reproductive age, suffer from fibroids or uterine tumors. Although asymptomatic in most cases, at times the lumps do develop leading to definite indications such as heavy bleeding during menstruation, backaches, frequent urination, and painful sexual intercourse. This particular medical condition is also known for causing pregnancy complications and we are going to emphasize it in the following write-up.
Fibroids and Pregnancy
When suffering from fibroids, a large number of women wonder if it is possible or perhaps safe to conceive. Well, in most of the cases, the uterine tumors do not cause many issues during pregnancy but at times it is the size as well as the location of these lumps that may lead to major complications, some of which are mentioned below in brief:
When pregnant, a woman’s body releases different kinds of hormones that cause the uterus to enlarge so that it can accommodate the fetus without any difficulty. The inflow of the hormones also causes the tumors present in the womb to mature. With a rise in blood supply, the fibroids can either go through white degeneration (turning cystic) or red degeneration (bleeding to shrink finally). In any of the two cases, one is sure to experience intense abdominal pain that can only be alleviated through medication.
In case the tumor is located inside the uterine cavity, there will be no normal implantation and the development of the placenta would be disrupted greatly. Well, during such an early stage, women also have a chance of getting miscarriages. In the later phase, fibroids can cause three kinds of problems and they are as follows:
Preterm labor is possible if there are multiple tumors.
Placental abruption or placental separation occurs if the tumor appears in the place where the fetus is attached to the womb.
Although quite rare some studies do suggest a relation between uterine tumors and growth restrictions of a fetus.
Fibroids can also cause problems during delivery. It is due to the abnormal location of the tumors that labor progression could be obstructed largely. The lumps might cause the baby to lie in a transverse position making it difficult for the doctors to pull him/her out or lead to ejection of the entire placenta. It is due to the fibroid pregnancy complications that any top-notch medical professional opts to perform a C-section. During this surgery, he might also remove the tumors.
The aforementioned pointers are some primary complications that might occur when one suffers from uterine tumors during pregnancy.
