A diagnosis of uterine fibroids can bring up a lot of questions, especially if you are experiencing symptoms or trying to get pregnant. You may have learned about fibroids during a routine pelvic exam, after months of heavy bleeding or pelvic pain, or during a fertility evaluation. In some cases, fibroids cause no symptoms at…
A diagnosis of uterine fibroids can bring up a lot of questions, especially if you are experiencing symptoms or trying to get pregnant. You may have learned about fibroids during a routine pelvic exam, after months of heavy bleeding or pelvic pain, or during a fertility evaluation. In some cases, fibroids cause no symptoms at all. In others, they can affect your periods, comfort, reproductive health, and ability to conceive.
At Kofinas Fertility Group, our fibroid specialists evaluate how fibroids may be affecting your body, your fertility, and your long-term goals. We offer advanced fibroid treatment options, including fertility-preserving fibroid removal surgery when appropriate, and help each patient understand whether monitoring, medication, myomectomy, or another treatment path may be right for them.
If you have been diagnosed with fibroids or are looking for a fibroid doctor or fertility clinic in NYC, Brooklyn, Long Island, or Staten Island who understands fertility, our team can help you understand your options and create a treatment plan based on your symptoms, imaging, and family-building goals.
Fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. They are also known as leiomyomas or myomas. Fibroids grow from the muscle tissue of the uterine wall and can vary widely in size, number, and location. Some are very small and cause no symptoms, while others can grow large enough to affect the shape of the uterus, place pressure on nearby organs, or interfere with fertility.
Fibroids are classified based on where they are located:
Fibroids are very common, particularly among women in their 30s and 40s. Many women do not know they have fibroids until they are found during a pelvic exam, ultrasound, fertility evaluation, or pregnancy-related imaging.
The exact cause of fibroids is not fully understood, but hormones, genetics, and other risk factors may play a role. Factors associated with fibroids may include age, family history, weight, diet, and ethnicity.
While there is no proven way to prevent fibroids from developing, there are many uterine fibroid treatment options available when fibroids cause symptoms, affect fertility, or interfere with quality of life.
Fibroids do not always cause symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they can vary based on the size, number, and location of the fibroids. Learn more about the uterine fibroid symptoms to look out for.
Common symptoms may include:
Some patients seek fibroid pain treatment because of pelvic pressure, cramping, or discomfort. Others seek fibroid heavy bleeding treatment after experiencing prolonged periods, anemia, or bleeding that interferes with daily life.
Because fibroid symptoms can overlap with other reproductive health conditions, an accurate diagnosis is important. Imaging, such as ultrasound or other fertility-focused testing, can help determine whether fibroids are present, how many there are, where they are located, and whether they may be affecting fertility. Learn more about fertility testing and diagnosis.
Fibroids can affect fertility, but not all fibroids make it harder to get pregnant. The impact depends largely on the fibroid’s size, location, and relationship to the uterine cavity.
Fibroids may interfere with fertility when they:
Submucosal fibroids, which grow into the uterine cavity, are often more likely to affect implantation and pregnancy. Large intramural fibroids may also affect fertility depending on their size and position.
For patients who want to conceive, fertility-preserving fibroid treatment is especially important. The goal is not only to treat symptoms, but also to protect the uterus and improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy whenever possible.
You may benefit from a fibroid consultation if you have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids or are experiencing symptoms that may be related to fibroids. You should also consider seeing a fibroid specialist if you are trying to conceive and have been told you have fibroids.
A fibroid doctor can help evaluate:
At Kofinas Fertility Group, our team looks at fibroids through the lens of reproductive health. That means we consider your symptoms, imaging, age, ovarian reserve, fertility history, pregnancy goals, and overall treatment plan before recommending a path forward. Patients see our fibroid and fertility specialists at locations across NYC, Brooklyn, Long Island, and Staten Island.
Fibroids are treatable, but the best fibroid treatment depends on your symptoms, fertility goals, medical history, and the size and location of the fibroids.
Some patients only need monitoring. Others may benefit from medication to control pain or heavy bleeding. For patients with fibroids that affect fertility or cause significant symptoms, fibroid removal surgery may be recommended.
The most common treatment options include:
Because some fibroid treatments can affect future fertility, it is important to discuss your goals with a fibroid specialist before deciding on a treatment plan.
Non-surgical fibroid treatment may be appropriate for patients with mild symptoms, smaller fibroids, or those who are not actively trying to conceive. These options may help manage symptoms, but they usually do not remove the fibroids themselves.
Non-surgical options may include:
Medication may help reduce fibroid pain or heavy bleeding, but it is often a temporary solution. Some medications may also interfere with attempts to conceive. For patients who want to become pregnant, a fertility specialist can help determine whether symptom management is enough or whether surgical treatment may offer a better long-term path.
Fibroids can cause pelvic pain, pressure, cramping, and heavy menstrual bleeding. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of symptoms. For more detail, read our guide to fibroids and bleeding.
For some patients, medication may help control pain or bleeding in the short term. For others, especially those with large fibroids or fibroids that distort the uterus, removing the fibroids may provide more complete relief.
A fibroid consultation can help determine whether your symptoms are related to fibroids and whether treatment should focus on symptom management, fertility preservation, surgery, or a combination of approaches.
For patients who need fibroid removal surgery and want to preserve fertility, minimally invasive fibroid surgery may be an option.
A myomectomy is a surgical procedure that removes fibroids while leaving the uterus in place. This is different from a hysterectomy, which removes the uterus entirely. Because the uterus is preserved, myomectomy may be recommended for patients who want to become pregnant in the future. If you are concerned about how surgery could affect your fertility, learn more about whether fibroid surgery causes infertility.
When appropriate, myomectomy can be performed using minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopic fibroid removal. During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon uses small incisions and specialized instruments to locate and remove fibroids. Compared with traditional open surgery, laparoscopy may involve less pain, smaller incisions, reduced scarring, and a shorter recovery time.
Minimally invasive fibroid surgery may be used to treat symptoms while also supporting future fertility goals. Learn more about our surgical program.
Laparoscopic fibroid removal is a type of myomectomy that removes fibroid tissue while preserving the uterus. This approach may be especially helpful for patients whose fibroids are affecting fertility, causing heavy bleeding, or creating pelvic pain and pressure.
During a laparoscopic myomectomy, only the fibroid tissue is removed. The goal is to treat the fibroids while keeping the healthy uterine tissue intact whenever possible.
Benefits of laparoscopic fibroid removal may include:
Not every patient is a candidate for laparoscopic fibroid removal. Very large fibroids, multiple fibroids, or complex cases may require a different surgical approach. Your doctor will evaluate your imaging and fertility goals before recommending the safest and most effective treatment option.
A hysterectomy is a surgery that removes the uterus. It can eliminate fibroids, but it also makes it impossible to carry a pregnancy.
Kofinas Fertility Group does not perform hysterectomy for fibroids. Our focus is on fibroid treatment that preserves the uterus and protects your reproductive options, such as myomectomy. If you have been told you may need a hysterectomy for fibroids, a consultation can help you understand whether a uterus-preserving option, such as myomectomy, may be appropriate for your situation.
Uterine fibroid embolization, also known as uterine artery embolization, is a procedure that blocks blood flow to fibroids so they shrink over time.
Kofinas Fertility Group does not perform or recommend uterine fibroid embolization if fertility wants to be preserved. This procedure is not performed by a surgeon. It is performed by a radiologist, and it only cuts off blood circulation to a fibroid rather than removing the actual fibroid tissue. This procedure may shrink the size of the fibroid, but it can also cut off blood supply to reproductive structures.
For patients who want to preserve fertility, myomectomy is typically a more appropriate fibroid treatment because it removes the fibroid tissue while protecting the uterus.
At Kofinas Fertility Group, fibroid treatment is approached with fertility in mind. Our doctors evaluate not only the fibroids themselves, but also how they may be affecting your ability to conceive, maintain a pregnancy, or move forward with fertility treatment.
Before recommending fibroid removal surgery, our team carefully evaluates:
For some patients, smaller or less complex fibroids may be treated with minimally invasive fibroid surgery. More complex cases, including multiple or large fibroids, may require a hospital-based surgical setting.
The goal is to provide advanced fibroid treatment that supports your health, relieves symptoms when possible, and protects your reproductive options.
Large fibroids do not always need to be removed, but they are more likely to cause symptoms or affect the shape of the uterus. Large fibroids may contribute to pelvic pressure, heavy bleeding, pain, abdominal swelling, or fertility challenges. Learn more about what happens if uterine fibroids go untreated.
Whether large fibroid treatment is needed depends on several factors, including:
If you have been told you have a large fibroid, a consultation can help determine whether monitoring, medication, myomectomy, or another treatment option is right for you.
If you have fibroids, symptoms of fibroids, or fertility concerns related to fibroids, Kofinas Fertility Group can help you understand your options. You can view all of our locations across NYC, Brooklyn, Long Island, and Staten Island.
Our fibroid specialists provide evaluation and treatment planning for patients with pelvic pain, heavy bleeding, large fibroids, recurrent pregnancy loss, or difficulty getting pregnant, as well as patients who want fibroid symptom relief without fertility concerns.
Request an appointment today to speak with a fibroid doctor and learn whether fertility-preserving fibroid treatment may be right for you.
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