Most of the time, fibroid growths in the uterus are no big deal.  They’re quite common and seldom problematic.  But sometimes they can get in the way of a normal pregnancy.

So what can you do about fibroids?  First, don’t panic.  Don’t run right out and get a hysterectomy.  That could well be, rather literally, throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  You don’t necessarily have to have your uterus removed to deal effectively with fibroids.

As many as 40 percent of women develop fibroids during their reproductive years.  But all fibroids are not the same.  Some constitute a much greater obstacle to normal pregnancy than others.  Knowing what kind of fibroids you have will help determine whether you should just let them alone and get pregnant anyway or have them treated before you try to get pregnant.  You have to remember, too, that surgery, even if it does not involve a hysterectomy, can affect your ability to get pregnant.

Fibroids consist of abnormal muscle and connective tissue in the uterus.  The effect they have on your ability to get pregnant has much to do with where in the uterus they are located.  In fact, the method used to categorize fibroids makes use of their location.  Where they are determines the type of fibroid they are.

In general, there are three kinds of fibroid.  One occurs in the uterine muscle wall and is referred to as an intramural fibroid.  Another is located outside the uterus and is called a subserosal fibroid.  A submucosal fibroid extends from the uterine muscle wall into the uterine cavity.

Intramural and subserosal fibroids can be entirely benign.  If they are not causing problems, such as pain, they might not require any treatment, especially if you are not experiencing fertility problems anyway.  However, submucosal fibroids can cause excessive bleeding and can prevent implantation, contribute to miscarriage and help cause premature delivery.

But even in the case of submucosal fibroids, the news is not all bad.  They can be surgically removed, and women who have them can be just as able to conceive and carry their baby to term as women without them.

It is not always clear which came first, the fibroids or the fertility problems.  The fertility doctors at the Reproductive Resource Center, a fertility clinic serving the Kansas City region, caution women against jumping to the conclusion that fibroids are causing their infertility.  There are many other potential causes, and a thorough workup is needed to determine the culprit.  Further, women who have certain kinds of fibroids and undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) seem to be just as likely to carry their baby to term as women without fibroids.

The best course of action if you believe fibroids might be an issue is to discuss the problem with your doctor, and also to get a second opinion.  Just be sure the doctors you talk to have the latest information about fibroids and fertility.