I have fibroids. Could you tell me what happens to the tumors during menopause?

Thank you,

D. Andrea

Answer:

Please be advised, I am not a doctor, so I can’t diagnose your fibroid tumors for you. However I can share some information I found online.

Fibroid tumors are usually small benign, non-cancerous tumors that form within the wall of the uterus, and in other areas that are made up of smooth muscle cells. Fibroid tumors get their name from the fibrous, slow-growing tissue that creates the tumors. They are most common in women 35 to 40-years-old, but it isn’t clear why they develop.

Birth control pills along with other estrogen-stimulating factors have been known to encourage the growth of fibroid tumors. For example, pregnant woman are thought to be at higher risk of developing fibroid tumors because during pregnancy the body produces excess levels of estrogen. Pre-existing tumors can grow at an accelerated pace during pregnancy which can be quite painful. Post-pregnancy, the tumors are believed to reduce in size as hormone levels go back to normal. In menopausal women with lower estrogen levels, fibroid tumors are believed to shrink as well, and even to stop developing due to the fact that the body has stopped producing estrogen.

Fibroid tumors are typically small and require a microscope in order to identify their presence. However larger fibroid tumors can grow to the size of a grapefruit and fill the entire abdomen causing severe problems to pregnant women – such as miscarriage, premature labor, stalled labor, fetal malformation, and breech births.

I hope this information sheds some light on your question. Click here for full details on the symptoms that are likely to occur during menopause.