Pregnant women suffering from uterine fibroids

Abstract Introduction. Uterine fibroids are the most frequent benign tumors affecting sexual organs in women. It is estimated that they affect 20% of the female population, with the frequency in pregnant women ranging between 0.1-5%. In spite of the progress in the field of medicine, the actual cause of uterine fibroids has yet to be discovered. Aim. Analysis of the recent methods of dealing with uterine fibroids during pregnancy. Material and methods. A review of literature about dealing with pregnant, lying-in and parturient women suffering from uterine fibroids. Results. The research studies by Aydeniz, Vergani, Rice showed that cesarean sections are much more frequent in pregnant women with uterine fibroids than in control group (52.9% vs 27.9%; 23% vs 12%; 35.1% vs 21.5%). However, it was shown that the rate of cesarean sections was much higher in women with uterine fibroids located in the lower part of the uterus than in the fundus uteri (respectively 39% and 18%). Also, the rate increased when the diameter of the fibroid exceeded 5 cm, unlike in case of those smaller than 5 cm (respectively 35% and 17%). Conclusions. 1. The number of cesarean sections in women with uterine fibroids is higher than in control group. 2. The frequency of cesarean sections in pregnancies with uterine fibroids depends on their position and size. 3. There is no relationship between the number of complications and the amount of fibroids in pregnant women. 4. There is no agreement concerning the recommendations for removing the fibroid during cesarean section.