Uterine Fibroids - The Asteroids of the Female Reproductive System

Uterine Fibroids - The Asteroids of the Female Reproductive System
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Introduction
The female reproductive system is one of the most complex systems within the human physiology. It is an intricate network of various other systems combining and working in synchrony to ensure there is a perfect balance. This is especially the case with the hormones, which dictate virtually all the processes of the system. Any variation in their concentrations will affect the system in one way or the other. On a larger scale however, there is always the threat of defects that can hinder the main purpose of the system; reproduction. Fibroids are among the biggest challenge. Its understanding causes and treatment constitutes a great way to handle it.
Fibroids
Fibroids or uterine fibroids usually constitute a medical condition that involves the growth of harmless tumors along the inner side of the uterine wall. This condition is usually of note since it affects mostly women who are at the peak of their reproductive years. It is also termed as fibromas or uterine myomas. They are usually firm and smooth, while at the same time, compact muscular cells that to some extent merge with the fibrous connective tissue within the uterine lining. The good news about it is that these growths are usually non-cancerous. A woman is therefore not predisposed to uterine cancer just by the virtue of having fibroids. They can therefore be controlled and even removed from the uterus.
. The sizes of these growths vary from very small to massive, pumpkin-like sizes. When they grow to such huge sizes, there is a real possibility that they will appear like a pregnancy for these women. In fact, the huge fibroids usually make out a picture of a six to seven month old pregnancy. Fibroids have however proved to be quite a serious disease, afflicting quite a good percentage of women around the globe. On a global scale, approximately a third of women in their reproductive age are affected by fibroids. This is quite a huge number, considering that there is indeed a real chance that some of these affected women don’t even know how to go about it.
Types of Fibroids
There are various types of fibroids based on where they are formed. They include the intramural, subserosal, submucosal and cervical fibroids (Sampson, 2017). The intramural fibroids occur within the wall of the uterus. The subserosal fibroids usually grow to an extended length, onto the outer tissue of the uterus. The sub mucosal fibroids on the other hand, grow under the uterine wall lining. Finally, the cervical fibroids, just as the name suggests, originate from the cervix, or the uterine neck (Sampson, 2017). As it can be noted from the types of fibroids, the classification is purely based on their respective location or origin within the womb.
Causes and Risk Factors of Uterine Fibroids.
There are various risk factors for the development of fibroids. These include age, lifestyle, race, genetic factors, early menarche, and parity. A diet that is rich in red meat is one of the lifestyle factors that contribute to the disease, same to one that is rich in caffeine. There is no clear causal agent for uterine fibroids. What is clear however is that they...