Other treatment options

Choosing the most appropriate treatment depends on what symptoms you have, the impact of these symptoms on your quality of life, and whether you are trying to have a baby now or in the future.

As well as UFE, the following treatments may be considered:

This is the only permanent cure for fibroids. It provides definitive treatment, but requires major abdominal, vaginal or laparoscopic surgery.

Removal of just the fibroid, with conservation of the rest of the uterus. This can be accomplished through laparoscopy, or by an open procedure. For women who wish to preserve their childbearing capacity this option may be the best.

Oral contraceptive pills, either combination pills or progestin-only can be used to manage symptoms. If unsuccessful, further medical therapy involves the use of medication to reduce oestrogens in an attempt to create a medical menopause-like situation. Medicines called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH) analogues are used for this. GNRH analogues, however, are short term treatments only. While these will not shrink fibroids, they may be effective enough in controlling the symptoms (particularly bleeding) that the patient can make it through to menopause without requiring further treatment.

Also called magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound, this is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-intensity focused ultrasound waves to destroy fibroids in combination with magnetic resonance imaging, which guides and monitors the treatment.