Fibroids and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know Before, During and After

When you have one or more fibroids, you may worry about what that means for a pregnancy. That was true for Greenleaf star Deborah Joy Winans when announcing a pregnancy after being diagnosed with eight large fibroids. As she worked to review her treatment options, she learned she was pregnant, telling Essence magazine that her doctor "Started to tell me the things that will happen in my body because of the fibroids and the things that the baby might face, I just was like, ‘Okay, this is really, really serious. ”

Unfortunately, her fears came true when Winans ended up in the ER in terrible pain due to a degenerating fibroid. While there, she underwent a surgical procedure to close her cervix and got placed on bed rest as she hoped to "Get to 28 [weeks]” before delivering the baby.

Now, that would still be a less-than-deal early delivery isn’t ideal—but that is a risk for women who are pregnant with fibroids. Even One Tree Hill star Jana Kramer announced on Instagram that her C-section was scheduled prior to her due date “because of growing fibroid.” And, in addition to impacting your delivery date, fibroids may interfere with conception, fetal growth, the delivery process, and more. Here's what you need to know.

Fibroids and Pregnancy: What's the Impact?

Fibroids in the uterus can make it hard to conceive, particularly if they block the fallopian tubes, or if they keep a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine lining. If you do conceive, you may also face:

1. Restricted fetal growth or movement within the uterus.
2. Pre-term labor.
3. According to the Journal of Hypertension, pregnant women with one or more fibroids are at an increased risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP.) This includes preeclampsia, gestational and chronic hypertension (high blood pressure.)

Additionally, because these growths can change the shape of your uterus, you're more likely to deliver a baby in the breech position, also increasing your odds of having a C-section.

Fibroid and Pregnancy: Are There Treatment Options?

Unless you're facing a medical emergency, we don't recommend treating fibroids while you are pregnant. Instead, during the pregnancy, your OB will likely monitor your baby and the fibroids via ultrasound. This should help prevent potential complications.

It is important to talk with your OB and our Dallas-based interventional radiologist to determine the best fibroid treatment option if you are planning a pregnancy. Request an appointment with our fibroid specialists in Dallas to further discuss this treatment option.

Sources: Motherly, Womenshealth.gov, Eve online