Fibroids are tumors made of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissue that develop in the uterus. Due to their location inside the uterus and their size, which can range from the size of a pea to a watermelon, fibroids often interfere with intimacy between partners.
Fibroids can make intercourse uncomfortable and painful for women. Regardless of their size, they can place extreme pressure on the uterus and cause pain at the point of penetration and deep within the vagina. In addition to pain, many women with fibroids experience bleeding during and after intercourse. All of these factors can affect their sex drive (libido) and may result in avoidance of intimacy altogether.
Libido is adversely affected by fibroids, which are in turn affected by hormones within a woman’s body, especially estrogen and progesterone. Fibroids tend to grow faster during a woman’s reproductive years when hormone levels are at their peak. If she has an excessive amount of estrogen, it can cause a decrease in her sex drive.
20% to 80% of women may develop fibroids by the time they reach 50. The percentages are even higher for African American and Asian women. Most are unaware they have them, however those that do often suffer from the following symptoms:
- Pain during or after intercourse
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Decreased libido
- Heavy menstrual flow that lasts longer than a week
- Frequent need to urinate
- Vaginal dryness
- Fatigue
- Low self-esteem/body image issues
- Hormonal imbalances
Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) can enable women to reclaim their sex lives by ensuring they don’t have to live with painful fibroids forever. To learn more about how UFE treatment can help you be symptom free, contact Dr. Neel Patel at The Atlanta Fibroid Clinic.
