Dear Dr N I am in my 40’s and planning pregnancy. I have an 8cm fibroid. Should I have it removed? or Embolized before I get pregnant? signed planning

Dear Planning Great question . There are many women with fibroids or better known to us providers as Leiomyomata. These are benign smooth muscle tumors , usually of the uterine wall, that can affect 20-30% of women. When they are large, commonly greater that 5cm or symptomatic generally heavy bleeding, pain or irregular bleeding we often begin to pursue treatment. There are procedures that take the blood supply- embolization and they shrink up to 50% or procedures to take them out, myomectomy or other forms of surgery laparoscopic or open hysterectomy. If you are planning pregnancy which is so exciting by the way…. and they don’t bother you too much I would wait and pursue treatment after delivery. It can cause a little more pain in pregnancy. IF it is affecting conceiving you should consult a specialist right away because your fertility clock is ticking. Always best not to operate on the womb unless absolutely necessary before pregnancy but Iwould find out where it is and how it might affect you carrying.
Thanks for the question, and best of luck!! Keep us posted . DrN