Uterine fibroids can be debilitating. Treatments offer hope for less pain, faster recovery

They can be as small as a grape or as large as a cantaloupe, and in some cases even bigger.

Uterine fibroids — non-cancerous tumours that grow spontaneously inside the wall of the uterus — are also profoundly common, with about 70 per cent of women developing them before the age of 50, according to the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada.

About one-third of those people will develop symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pain that can be debilitating and have major impacts on all aspects of their life.

But new technology is providing more treatment options that are promising less pain, a faster recovery and the potential to preserve fertility.

"Fibroids are a significant source of health burden, discomfort and they have an impact on quality of life for so many people" said Dr. Cindy Maxwell, an obstetrician and gynecologist and vice-president of medical affairs at Women's College Hospital in Toronto.

Symptoms can vary, but heavy menstrual bleeding, pain, urinary problems, pelvic pressure, pressure on the bladder, anemia and bloating are some of the key issues patients often deal with.

"We don't tend to find out about the fibroids until people have reached a stage where they have such symptoms that they require medical attention," said Maxwell.

Fibroids also can affect fertility and cause issues getting pregnant or threaten the ability to carry a pregnancy, especially in the early stages, she said.

Options to treat fibroids have ranged from hormonal medications to stop heavy menstrual bleeding to intrauterine devices and pain medications. Depending on the size of the fibroids, their location or the severity of symptoms, surgical options are often considered next.

Procedures like a myomectomy remove fibroids while keeping the uterus. Uterine fibroid embolization aims to shrink fibroids by cutting off the blood supply. A catheter is usually inserted into an artery that feeds the fibroid and particles are injected into it that help form a clot.

If the fibroids are too large or numerous, then more invasive procedures like a hysterectomy, which removes the uterus, may be recommended, said Maxwell. Recovery time for surgical procedures can take anywhere from two to eight weeks or longer.

Fibroids can grow back, so younger patients in particular may have to endure multiple procedures.

Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that between 2022 and 2023, there were a total of 10,094 hysterectomies, 6,032 myomectomies and 561 embolizations in Canada (excluding Quebec).

But newer procedures on the horizon in Canada are aiming to provide more minimally invasive options to patients to help them recover more quickly, with fewer risks and an increased likelihood of preserving fertility.