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Uterine fibroids grew during pregnancy: Soothing the anxious mother's heart with Korean medicine

The moment you begin a journey like the amazing transformation of pregnancy, many women carry a sense of excitement along with potential worries. Especially when you hear "the size of uterine fibroids has increased during pregnancy," it's natural for anxiety to grow, fearing something might go wrong with the fetus. Discovering that a previously small or non-existent fibroid has suddenly grown during pregnancy leaves many expectant mothers confused and unsure of what to do. The coexistence of pregnancy and uterine fibroids is more than just a single condition; it leads to deep concerns about the health of both mother and baby.

💡 [Key Answer] 3 most common causes for 'uterine fibroids grew during pregnancy': ① Hormonal changes during pregnancy / ② Increased uterine blood flow / ③ Existing fibroid stimulation due to uterine expansion Dalimchae Clinic uses constitutional improvement to create a healthy uterine environment, reducing discomfort caused by fibroids during pregnancy and helping maintain a smooth pregnancy.

Changes in the size of uterine fibroids during pregnancy are a major concern for many expectant mothers. Fundamentally, uterine fibroids are known as benign tumors that grow under the influence of the female hormone estrogen. During pregnancy, the secretion of various hormones, including not only estrogen but also progesterone, increases sharply, and blood flow toward the uterus also increases significantly. These environmental and hormonal changes can be major causes that stimulate the growth of fibroids. Additionally, the expansion of the uterus itself due to pregnancy can affect existing fibroids, making them feel larger or causing an actual increase in volume.

According to content published in the 2024 'Management of Uterine Fibroids and Sarcomas: The Palermo Position Paper', the growth rate of uterine fibroids during pregnancy is not clearly established. However, a systematic literature review reported that fibroid size generally tends to increase in the early stages of pregnancy, while the patterns of change in the middle and late stages are inconsistent. It also explains that due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, uterine fibroids may undergo colliquation (liquefaction necrosis), which can cause pelvic pain, and such pain is often not well controlled with medications available during pregnancy.

These research results suggest that changes in uterine fibroids during pregnancy take on a complex aspect beyond just growing, and there may be difficulties in managing symptoms. Dalimchae Clinic considers these complex factors to stabilize the uterine environment and focuses on managing pain and discomfort.

The presence of uterine fibroids during pregnancy can affect the health of not only the mother but also the fetus. Depending on the location or size of the fibroid, the risk of various complications may increase. For example, subserosal fibroids located near the endometrium or large intramural fibroids can compress the space where the fetus grows or interfere with the blood supply to the placenta.

According to 'Management of uterine leiomyomas in pregnancy: Review of literature', uterine fibroids can increase the risk of maternal-fetal complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, fetal growth restriction, fetal malposition, placental complications (such as placental abruption), and premature rupture of membranes. It has also been reported to be associated with a risk of complications such as abnormal uterine contractions during labor, uterine atony, and postpartum hemorrhage. Changes in the size of uterine fibroids during pregnancy are mainly attributed to hormonal changes during pregnancy, and some studies suggest a tendency to show significant growth in early pregnancy and then stabilize or decrease in later stages.

In this way, uterine fibroids during pregnancy can affect the pregnancy process in various ways. At Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch, to minimize risks caused by uterine fibroids and maintain a healthy pregnancy, we focus on stabilizing the uterine environment by improving circulation in the uterus and surrounding pelvic cavity and increasing immunity.

Dalimchae Clinic provides treatment to manage symptoms and promote a healthy pregnancy through constitutional improvement for patients suffering from uterine fibroids during pregnancy. In Korean medicine, 'constitutional improvement' is not just about suppressing externally apparent symptoms but aims to create a body where symptoms do not recur, rather than just turning them off. In other words, we focus on regaining the balance of the entire body to make the uterine environment healthy, create a body condition where it's difficult for uterine fibroids to grow, and minimize discomfort that may occur during pregnancy.

Dalimchae Clinic's constitutional improvement treatment utilizes herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion complexly to promote blood circulation around the uterus, remove stagnant blood, and restore the balance of the autonomic nervous system to help the uterus function healthily. Especially, as there are many restrictions on medication use during pregnancy, it is important to create a healthy uterine environment even before pregnancy, and during pregnancy, we approach in a direction that alleviates discomfort and stabilizes the uterus within a range safe for the fetus. This can also be helpful for those who have experienced or are worried about infertility or postpartum wind (Sanhupung) due to uterine fibroids. Many people looking for an Incheon uterine fibroid clinic are starting efforts for a healthy uterus through such constitutional improvement treatment at Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch.

Uterine fibroids during pregnancy often have no symptoms, but some expectant mothers may experience the following:

Uterine Fibroid Self-Diagnosis Checklist (During Pregnancy)

• □ Lower abdominal pain is more frequent or has worsened than usual.
• □ Back pain or pelvic pain is frequently felt.
• □ Frequent urination or a feeling of residual urine. (Possible bladder compression)
• □ Worsening constipation or discomfort during defecation. (Possible rectal compression)
• □ Bleeding or abnormal discharge occurs even in early pregnancy.
• □ The abdomen feels too hard or irregular uterine contractions are felt.

Criteria and Recommended Action:

• 1~2 items: Careful observation is needed. Along with regular obstetric check-ups, we recommend consulting Dalimchae Clinic, an Incheon pregnancy clinic, to start efforts for uterine environment improvement.
• 3 or more items: Discomfort from uterine fibroids may be significant, or there may be a risk of complications. Immediately receive obstetric care and consider Korean medicine complex treatment for pain relief and uterine stabilization with Dalimchae Clinic.
• 5 or more items: This could be a sign of serious complications. It's important to immediately visit an obstetrician and start overall constitutional improvement and uterine health management at Dalimchae Clinic.

Q. Can uterine fibroids during pregnancy disappear naturally? A. Uterine fibroids may grow in size according to hormonal changes during pregnancy, but some studies report cases where they naturally decrease in size or degenerate after late pregnancy or childbirth. However, not all fibroids disappear on their own, so continuous observation by an expert is important.

Q. If uterine fibroids are discovered during pregnancy, must I receive Korean medicine treatment? A. Management of uterine fibroids during pregnancy should prioritize consultation with an obstetrician. Korean medicine treatment can play a supportive role in helping maintain pregnancy by making the uterine environment healthy and alleviating discomfort (pain, indigestion, etc.) that may occur during pregnancy.

Q. Can the delivery method change due to uterine fibroids during pregnancy? A. Depending on the size, location, and number of uterine fibroids, natural childbirth may be difficult, and a cesarean section may need to be considered. Especially fibroids located around the birth canal or large fibroids can affect labor, so you should consult sufficiently with medical staff.

Q. Is uterine fibroid management necessary even after childbirth? A. Yes, it is recommended to continue managing uterine fibroids even after childbirth. Although fibroids often decrease in size after birth, continuous constitutional improvement and management are needed to prevent future recurrence or new fibroids and maintain uterine health.

The fact that uterine fibroids have grown in size during pregnancy can bring anxiety that you cannot handle alone. You no longer have to ignore the signals your body has been sending for a long time. If you approach in the right direction, the body responds faster than you think. Bring your symptoms exactly as they are. We will find the cause together and find a way for a healthy pregnancy at Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch.

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This article is health information compiled by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the treatment room. Medical Supervision | Women's and Pregnancy Treatment Standards Dalimchae Clinic Incheon Branch Korean Medicine Doctor Min Jihong (Uterine Fibroid Column)