a hospital stay,6 and has a shorter recovery time.6
Above all, it allows women to keep their uterus, which means pregnancy and safe childbirth are possible.6 Numerous babies have been born to my patients after UFE (even a number of twin births). These births are usually full-term and vaginal, whereas those women who get pregnant following myomectomy (surgically removing a portion of the fibroid burden) will need to be delivered via cesarean section (i.e. more surgery).
Several of my patients are now UFE advocates, including Real Housewives of Atlanta Cynthia Bailey, former WNBA player Teresa Edwards, and Emmy Award-winning WSB-TV Atlanta news anchor Jovita Moore.
These women and others have spoken out about how truly transformational UFE is. Women’s lives are restored and they no longer have to plan everything they do (or not do) around their menstrual period.
Recently, Vice-Presidential candidate and US Senator Kamala Harris and US Representative Yvette Clarke introduced (S. 4397 & H.R. 6383) the Uterine Fibroid Research & Education act. Research in uterine fibroids has heretofore been scant. This legislation will help to increase funding for fibroid research and educational efforts.
It will be a step toward bringing more awareness to this condition, perhaps begin to understand where fibroids actually come from, and how to prevent them. It should also highlight less invasive options like UFE, so that women understand that if they are suffering with fibroids they do not need to undergo surgery.
Women with symptomatic fibroids deserve to know all of their treatment options, not just the surgical ones. To learn more about fibroids or the UFE procedure, please click on the link ATLii.com.
John C. Lipman, MD, FSIR
Founder and Medical Director
Atlanta Fibroid Center
REFERENCES
- Marsh, E. E., Al-Hendy, A., Kappus, D., et al. (2018). Burden, prevalence, and treatment of uterine fibroids: A survey of U.S. women. J Women’s Health (Larchmt), 27(11). https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2018.7076.
- Lee, N. C. (2019 April 2). It’s not normal: Black women, stop suffering from fibroids. Retrieved from https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/its-not-normal-black-women-stop-suffering-fibroids.
- Weiss, G., Noorhasan, D., Schott, L. L., et al. (2009). Racial differences in women who have a hysterectomy for benign conditions. Women’s Health Issues, May–Jun;19(3):202–210. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2009.03.001.
- Laughlin-Tommaso, S. K., Khan, Z., Weaver, A. L., et al. (2018). Cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity after hysterectomy with ovarian conservation. Menopause, 25(5):483–492. doi: 1097/GME.0000000000001043.
- Furst, J. (2019 September 4). Study finds women at greater risk of depression, anxiety after hysterectomy. Retrieved from https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/study-finds-women-at-greater-risk-of-depression-anxiety-after-hysterectomy/.
- Society of Interventional Radiology. (2017 August 29). The fibroid fix: What women need to know. Retrieved from https://www.sirweb.org/globalassets/aasociety-of-interventional-radiology-home-page/patient-center/fibroid/sir_report_final.pdf.
- (2020 January 29). Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). Retrieved from https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=ufe.