Your periods have always been heavy, but lately they are different. You are changing pads more often, dealing with painful cramps, feeling pressure in your lower abdomen and perhaps even becoming tired or breathless because of blood loss.
You may have been told, “It's just heavy periods.”
But sometimes the reason is a uterine fibroid.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. Many do not cause symptoms, but some can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pressure, pain, frequent urination and fertility concerns.
The important thing is that finding a fibroid does not automatically mean you need surgery.
Uterine fibroids, also called leiomyomas or myomas, are growths made from muscle and other tissue of the uterus.
They can be small or quite large, and their location matters as much as their size.
Some fibroids grow inside the uterine cavity, some within the uterine wall and others toward the outside of the uterus.
Common symptoms include:
Very heavy or prolonged periods
Painful periods
Pelvic pressure or heaviness
Lower abdominal discomfort
Frequent urination
Constipation or pressure on the bowel
Pain during intercourse
Difficulty becoming pregnant in selected cases
Tiredness related to iron-deficiency anaemia from heavy bleeding
Not every woman with fibroids needs treatment.
The decision usually depends on symptoms, fibroid location and size, age, fertility plans and overall health.
If your fibroids are small and causing no symptoms, your doctor may simply monitor them.
Treatment becomes more relevant when bleeding is affecting your daily life, pain is persistent, the fibroids are causing pressure symptoms or they are contributing to another medical problem.
For women researching Fibroid Treatment in Naraina, the first step should therefore be a proper evaluation rather than immediately choosing a procedure.
The same treatment does not work equally well for every type of fibroid.
Fibroid treatment can range from observation and medicines to minimally invasive procedures and surgery.
Depending on your situation, your doctor may discuss:
Medicines to control bleeding or pain
Hormonal treatment
Myomectomy to remove fibroids
Uterine artery embolization
Radiofrequency ablation
Other image-guided or minimally invasive treatments
Hysterectomy in selected cases
The right option depends heavily on whether you want to preserve fertility and the exact characteristics of the fibroid.
An interventional radiologist can perform procedures such as uterine artery embolization (UAE) using imaging guidance.
Instead of surgically removing the fibroid, UAE reduces the blood supply feeding it. Over time, the fibroid can shrink and related symptoms may improve.
This can be an attractive option for some women who want a minimally invasive approach.
During UAE, a thin catheter is introduced through a blood vessel, usually through a small access point in the groin or wrist.
Using X-ray guidance, the interventional radiologist navigates the catheter toward the uterine arteries.
Tiny particles are then delivered to reduce blood flow to the fibroid.
The fibroid is not physically cut out. Instead, reduced blood supply causes it to shrink over time.
No.
One of the most important things we tell patients is that UAE is not an instant solution.
Symptoms may improve gradually as the fibroid shrinks. You may experience cramping, fatigue or other temporary symptoms after the procedure, and follow-up is important.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis comparing uterine artery embolization with myomectomy found that both treatments can be effective for symptomatic fibroids, but they have different advantages and limitations. UAE was associated with fewer early complications in the analysis, while myomectomy generally had lower rates of later reintervention.
This is an important finding for patients.
A less invasive treatment is not automatically the best treatment for every woman.
Your personal goals matter.
Women often hear that a “large fibroid” automatically means surgery.
That is too simplistic.
Size matters, but location and symptoms can matter just as much.
A relatively small fibroid inside the uterine cavity can cause significant bleeding, while a larger fibroid in another location may cause fewer symptoms.
The opposite mistake is also possible: assuming that every fibroid should be treated simply because it appears on a scan.
If you have no meaningful symptoms, treatment may not be necessary.
The goal is to treat the problem the fibroid is causing, not merely the image on the ultrasound.
This is where the conversation becomes particularly important.
If you are planning pregnancy, tell your doctor before choosing a fibroid treatment.
Some procedures are well established for particular situations, while the evidence around fertility after UAE remains more complex. A 2024 expert consensus specifically highlighted the need for careful counselling about reproductive outcomes following uterine artery embolization.
For women actively trying to conceive, the treatment decision should therefore involve the appropriate fertility and gynaecology specialists rather than being based only on whether a procedure is minimally invasive.
Imagine a woman in her early 40s with very heavy periods, pelvic pressure and iron-deficiency anaemia.
Her scan shows multiple symptomatic fibroids. She has tried medication but continues to struggle with bleeding and fatigue.
Instead of immediately assuming that hysterectomy is the only option, her doctors review the size and location of the fibroids, her symptoms and her personal treatment goals.
If she is an appropriate candidate, UAE may be discussed alongside surgical and other options.
The decision should be based on what she wants from treatment and what is medically appropriate, not simply on choosing the procedure with the smallest incision.
Dr Raghav Seth, Interventional Radiologist, focuses on image-guided minimally invasive treatments for appropriately selected patients. For women with symptomatic fibroids, the approach should begin with understanding the fibroid's location, symptoms and treatment goals before deciding whether embolization or another option is suitable.
Bring your ultrasound, MRI or other imaging reports if you have them.
Your doctor may ask how heavy your periods are, how long they last, whether you have pain or pressure and whether you are planning a pregnancy.
It is also useful to mention previous treatments and whether you have been diagnosed with anaemia.
Before choosing treatment, ask:
How many fibroids do I have?
Where are they located?
Are they actually causing my symptoms?
Do I need treatment now?
Which options preserve the uterus?
How could treatment affect future pregnancy?
What are the chances I may need another procedure later?
These questions can make a complicated decision much easier to understand.
UAE is minimally invasive, but it is still a medical procedure.
Possible complications include infection, bleeding or bruising at the catheter site, post-embolization pain, temporary fever, fibroid passage and, rarely, problems involving the uterus or other organs.
There is also a possibility that symptoms may persist or return and that another treatment may eventually be needed.
Your individual risks should be discussed before treatment.
Do not simply accept extremely heavy periods as something you have to live with.
Consider getting evaluated if you regularly soak through pads or tampons quickly, have periods lasting unusually long, experience persistent pelvic pressure or pain, feel unusually tired, or have been told that you have fibroids.
Seek urgent medical care for severe bleeding, fainting, severe pain or other acute symptoms.
Yes. Depending on the type and location of the fibroid, options may include medicines, uterine artery embolization, radiofrequency ablation and other minimally invasive treatments. Some women may still benefit more from surgery.
Cramping and pelvic discomfort are common after UAE, particularly during the early recovery period. Your medical team will provide appropriate pain management and explain what symptoms are expected.
Fibroids treated with embolization can shrink significantly, but new fibroids may develop or symptoms can recur. Some patients may eventually require additional treatment.
If heavy periods, pelvic pain or pressure are affecting your work, sleep, relationships or everyday life, don't assume you simply have to tolerate them.
Book a consultation with Dr Raghav Seth, Interventional Radiologist, bring your latest ultrasound or MRI reports, and discuss whether Fibroid Treatment in Naraina— including uterine artery embolization—could be appropriate for your specific condition and goals.
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