Can I Still Get Pregnant If I Have Uterine Fibroids?

When you find out that you have uterine fibroids, you might feel scared and even devastated. But it’s important to recognize that this isn’t as concerning as it may sound. Fibroids are very common, affecting between 20% and 80% of women by the age of 50. And they don’t preclude you from being able to get pregnant. 

Gen 5 Fertility Center offers many infertility treatments that can help one or both partners with issues of fertility. Dr. Samuel Wood, Dr. Benito Villanueva, and Dr. Martin Bastuba want you to be able to build the family of your choice — on your terms. And if you are dealing with uterine fibroids, there is no reason to think you won’t be able to conceive a child. 

Uterine fibroids: the facts 

Fibroids are benign tumors that appear in the uterus. Although researchers don’t know why these tumors develop, they’re relatively common, and they won’t necessarily keep you from getting pregnant. Given the lack of symptoms, many women don’t even know they have fibroids. 

When symptoms appear, the most common are heavy periods, painful intercourse, and frequent urination. These symptoms — and sometimes difficulty with natural conception — prompt most women to seek information about their condition.  

In some cases, uterine fibroids cause fertility issues. A typical example is a fibroid that presses into the middle of the uterus, making it hard for the embryo to attach. In many cases, though, fibroids are only a secondary cause of infertility. 

What to do if you’re struggling with fibroids and infertility 

When fibroids cause serious side effects, like very heavy periods or pain, we can remove them through myomectomy, which keeps your uterus and fertility intact. We typically perform this procedure for younger patients who have problematic fibroids but don’t want a hysterectomy. 

In some cases, we recommend myomectomies for women dealing with fibroid-related infertility. If you have fibroids and want to get pregnant, we offer several treatments to consider because, for most patients, fibroids aren’t the only cause of infertility. 

Egg freezing (and other options) with uterine fibroids

You can still freeze your eggs if you have uterine fibroids. Many people choose this option, as some fibroid treatments could have an unknown effect on fertility, and ensuring that you’ve planned for the future can be very reassuring. 

If you choose to undergo IVF, you might want to consider having your fibroids removed beforehand because fibroids can cause problems for IVF outcomes in some cases. However, every patient is different.

You can get pregnant with fibroids. 

There’s no reason to believe you can’t get pregnant if you have fibroids. Whether this means you can get pregnant naturally, through a procedure like IVF, or with another process that may or may not include the removal of the fibroids, you likely have every chance to build the family you want. 

Call us at our San Diego, California, office to discuss fibroids and your personal treatment plan. You can also book an appointment online.