Infertility Treatment

It’s often difficult to figure out why you’re having trouble conceiving. Fertility tests for you and your partner may be proving futile. Before you give up, however, visit an Interventional Radiologist at the Astra Fibroid Treatment Specialists in Brooklyn, New York and Bronx, New York. It’s possible that you have fibroids and aren’t experiencing any symptoms. If so, the growths in or on your uterus very well may be the culprit. An accomplished Interventional Radiologist, Dr. George Bolotin uses the most up-to-date technology to identify fibroids as a potential cause of your infertility. It may then just be a matter of a simple procedure or lifestyle change to get rid of the fibroids and become pregnant. Call today for an appointment.

Does Having Fibroids Lead to Infertility?

Uterine fibroids are usually non-cancerous growths that can cause fertility problems in women, but having fibroids doesn’t mean you’re infertile. First of all, most fibroids are tiny and harmless. Second, even large fibroids can be treated safely, often without surgery. Dr. George Bolotin of the Astra Fibroid Treatment Specialists in Brooklyn, NY and Bronx, NY is a fibroid expert with the experience and equipment to safely diagnose and treat uterine tumors.

Symptomatic fibroids appear in about a fifth of all women who are of child-bearing age. More women likely have them and don’t know it. Although the exact causes of fibroids remain unknown, some women are more susceptible than others. If you fall into one of these categories, you’d be wise to submit to an examination before your efforts to conceive, just to be on the safe side. Women at a higher risk of developing fibroids include:

• Younger women between the ages of 30 and 50, when estrogen levels are high and fluctuating
• African Americans, who are two to four times as likely to have fibroids
• Those with a family history, so if the women in your family have had fibroids, you’re more likely to as well
• Obese and overweight women, as excess fat puts pressure on the uterus
• A diet heavy in red meat and ham may trigger fibroid growth

How Do I Know if I Have Fibroids?

Fibroids may be single growths or clusters of abnormal muscle tissue. They cause health problems and discomfort if they get large or dense enough, but the conditions they cause also depend on where on your uterus they appear. Be suspicious of fibroids if you experience:

• Unusually heavy periods
• Severe menstrual cramping
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Bleeding between periods
• Unexplained weight gain
• An urge to urinate frequently
• A bloated, heavy feeling
• Pelvic pain

Not all fibroids cause noticeable symptoms, and some of these symptoms mimic other abdominal disorders. That’s another reason to put your trust in a fibroid expert. Dr. Bolotin is an acclaimed Interventional Radiologist who specializes in fibroid conditions and vascular ailments. He uses modern medical technology to identify, diagnose and address uterine fibroids.

How Do Fibroids Affect My Fertility?

Just because you have fibroids doesn’t mean you’re infertile. In fact, for most women, fibroids are not the reason for infertility. But sometimes, fibroid growths can stand between you and conception. The result of infertility has as much to do with the size of your fibroids as their placement in your uterus. Your fibroids can cause infertility if they:

• Grow large enough to block your fallopian tubes
• Impede your cervical opening, limiting the number of sperm that can enter
• Alter the shape of your uterus to such a degree that they obstruct the sperm, egg or embryo
• Change the way your uterus contracts, making it more difficult for sperm to maneuver
• Shrink the viable size of your uterine lining, where an embryo attaches after fertilization
• Steal a lot of the blood supply to your uterine lining, making it difficult for an embryo to survive

Usually, only large fibroids or those near specific points within your uterus obstruct your ability to conceive. This infertility, however, is not permanent. Dr. Bolotin is adept at treating fibroids non-surgically, using modern techniques such as hormone treatments, targeted ultrasound, and especially uterine fibroid embolization.

Are Fibroids During Pregnancy Dangerous?

When you’re diagnosed with fibroids during pregnancy, it does not cause for concern, especially if you’re in the care of a fibroid expert like Dr. Bolotin. Only about 10 percent of pregnant women have fibroids, and not all develop complications. The main concern is for the fetus, meaning that any fibroids you have aren’t treated until after you deliver.

There have been cases where large fibroids have interfered in one way or another with a pregnancy. Your fibroid doctor in Brooklyn and Bronx knows what to watch for, which includes fibroids that:

• Move the position of the fetus, sometimes necessitating a cesarean delivery
• Overcome your uterus, especially during the first 12 weeks of gestation, possibly causing a miscarriage or pre-term delivery
• Calcify, which can cause added pain and complicate the delivery

Put yourself and your baby in the capable hands of an Interventional Radiologist to combat fibroids. Dr. Bolotin helps you improve your fertility and carry your baby to term. The best fibroid specialist in New York City has the education, training, experience, and tools to combat fibroids that may cause infertility. Contact the Astra Fibroid Treatment Specialists for a fibroid checkup or to discover if your symptoms are fibroid-related.