November 7, 2024- Uterine fibroids are a common condition that affects up to 80% of women in their lifetime. Nearly half of those women will experience symptoms that affect their quality of life and fertility, including severe pain and anemia. Uterine fibroids are the major reason for the removal of the uterus by hysterectomy. However, Mayo Clinic researchers recommend minimally invasive treatment alternatives to hysterectomy, in an invited clinical practice paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Removing the uterus, even while sparing the ovaries, increases the risks of cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety and higher mortality. These risks are higher for people who get their uteruses removed at a young age.
A recent study found that nearly 60% of women undergoing hysterectomy for fibroids had not received a less invasive treatment first. Having alternative options to hysterectomy allow women to maintain their uteruses for longer.
These alternatives include medical therapies, hormone-releasing IUDs, radiofrequency ablation, focused ultrasound ablation and uterine artery embolization. Early detection is key. When fibroids are found early, they tend to be smaller and less extensive. As a result, treating them early is medically less complicated.