Why do women with uterine fibroids experience heavy menstrual bleeding? [Dr. Rundback]

Q: Why do women with uterine fibroids experience heavy menstrual bleeding?

A: Fibroids are extraordinarily common. One in four women have fibroids and 40% of African-American women have fibroids. Fibroids are benign. However, even though they’re benign, they can present with two major problems: heavy bleeding and what we call bulk symptoms – pressure, pain, bloating, and discomfort. The reason that there is heavy bleeding is that fibroids have an extraordinarily rich blood supply. Each month during a woman’s cycle, when the inner lining sloughs, the fibroids could expose. It can result in heavy bleeding. By doing minimally invasive procedures such as Uterine Fibroid Embolization, our goal is to block those vessels which are responsible for the bleeding and therefore stop the symptoms.

More videos from the interview with Dr. Rundback of the NJ Endovascular and Amputation Prevention as he discusses symptoms of uterine fibroids and treatment options:

• How invasive is the Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) procedure?
• Is everyone with uterine fibroids a good candidate for UFE or are there some instances where a hysterectomy might be preferred?
• What are the warning signs of uterine fibroids?

Request a consultation at your nearest American Endovascular center today.