Understanding Uterine Fibroids & Pelvic Masses
Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are non-cancerous growths of muscular tissue that develop within or on the walls of the uterus. They’re incredibly common, appearing in up to 70-80% of women during their reproductive years. While many fibroids remain small and unnoticeable, others grow substantially, causing severe pelvic pain, pressure, and heavy menstrual cycles.
At Miami Women’s Center, we provide advanced imaging diagnostics, targeted monitoring, and a wide array of medical and minimally invasive surgical management plans designed to relieve your symptoms while prioritizing your lifestyle and fertility goals.
Request an AppointmentComprehensive Management & Treatment Options
We move away from one-size-fits-all treatment, designing a plan tailored to your age, symptom severity, and future family planning:
Conservative Management & Medical Therapies
- Active surveillance: For small, asymptomatic fibroids, routine annual ultrasounds track size to ensure no secondary issues develop.
- Hormonal regulators: Oral contraceptives, progestin-releasing IUDs, or GnRH analogues to thin the uterine lining and manage abnormal bleeding.
- Non-hormonal options: Medications to reduce heavy menstrual blood loss without altering the natural hormone cycle.
Advanced Minimally Invasive Innovations
- The Acessa® procedure: Targeted heat energy destroys fibroid tissue while preserving the uterus — see our Acessa page.
- Hysteroscopic resection: Removing submucosal fibroids or polyps through the cervix with no external incisions.
- Robotic myomectomy: Precisely excising fibroids while rebuilding the uterine wall to preserve fertility.
- Minimally invasive hysterectomy: For those who’ve completed childbearing and face severe, recurrent masses — see our hysterectomy page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Uterine Fibroids
Fibroid & Mass Management at Miami Women’s Center
What are the main types of uterine fibroids?
Fibroids are classified by location: submucosal fibroids (beneath the uterine lining, often causing heavy bleeding and fertility challenges), intramural fibroids (within the muscular wall, causing pressure and pain), and subserosal fibroids (on the outer surface, causing bulk symptoms like bloating).
What are the most common symptoms of a uterine mass or fibroid?
Symptoms can include heavy or prolonged bleeding with clots, anemia-related fatigue, pelvic heaviness or bloating, frequent urination, constipation or back pain, and discomfort during intercourse.
Can uterine fibroids turn into cancer?
It’s extraordinarily rare. Fibroids are benign and not precancerous, and having them doesn’t increase the risk of uterine cancer, though rapidly growing masses are monitored carefully with imaging.
How are fibroids and pelvic masses diagnosed?
A high-resolution pelvic ultrasound is the frontline diagnostic tool, mapping the size, quantity, and location of growths. A pelvic MRI or sonohysterogram may be used for more detailed views before planning treatment.
Do all fibroids need to be treated?
No, small, asymptomatic fibroids are often monitored with active surveillance rather than treated immediately, with treatment considered if symptoms develop or growths change.
Can fibroids affect fertility or pregnancy?
Some fibroids, particularly submucosal ones, can affect fertility or increase pregnancy complications, which is why fertility goals are factored into the treatment plan.
How quickly do fibroids grow?
Growth rates vary widely between individuals and even between fibroids in the same uterus, which is why routine monitoring helps track any meaningful changes over time.