The womb, or uterus, is a bundle of muscles. For unknown reasons, a part of this muscle forms a ball called a fibroid. They can be as small as a pea or as large as a grapefruit. Fibroids can be single or many. They can be on the surface or in the middle of the muscle, or hang into the cavity of the uterus. These fibroids are not cancer, although they slowly tend to grow larger. At menopause they tend to shrink in size. It is estimated one out of three women over thirty years of age have fibroids.

You may not know that you have fibroids because they often exist without any symptoms. Should there be symptoms, they may include:
* heavy periods,
* pelvic pressure,
* cramping and pain,
* difficulty emptying your bladder, and
* difficulty holding an early pregnancy.

If you have fibroids with few of these symptoms, there is no need for treatment. A yearly exam is usually all that is necessary. However when the problem is severe, seek care and treatment. There are several tests that may be done to measure the size and degree of the problem:
* Blood tests check for a low blood count from too much bleeding.
* An ultrasound test measures the size and location of the fibroids.
* X-rays identify blockage caused by the fibroids of the tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder.
* A hysteroscopy or laparoscopy are surgical procedures that allow a direct look inside the uterus or body.

If treatment is necessary, drugs and surgery may be used. Some drugs can shrink the fibroids and stop periods so you can build your blood count up. Then the fibroids can be removed more safely. A hysteroscopy is performed when the fibroids are inside the cavity of the womb. A laparoscope may be used if the fibroids are on the outside or in the wall of the uterus. A hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, may be needed or preferred depending on your stage of life.

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